This Time Around
by kayandkimsmom1
Summary: Will it be different this time around?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters from Law & Order SVU belong to Dick Wolf and NBC. I own nothing.

AN: I've taken a little liberty with the timelines of seasons 10-14 as well as cannon, but hey its fiction right? I'm horrible at writing sex scenes so I don't. I will leave most of that up to your imaginations. I think yours will be better than mine anyway. This is an A/O story. If that isn't your thing, you won't like this. I have no idea know how long this will be. I'm just trying to brush up on my writing. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 1: Partners

Detective Nick Amaro knew that his partner, Detective Olivia Benson, still looked at him as the new guy and technically she was right. He was still getting to know his new partner… and boy, she did not make it easy. Getting something personal out of this lady was harder than breaking into Fort Knox. He'd heard a few whispers and a couple of rumors here and there. Some said that she was some sort of saint that walked among mere mortals, while others looked at her with a little suspicion. The tenure of a sex crimes detective was about two to three years. Benson had been there for over thirteen. Anyone who had lasted in the Special Victims Unit this long had to have a few hang ups, right? Yet, as a detective, Nick Amaro knew better than to make assumptions. He'd always believed that every person had a purpose. Maybe this was Olivia Benson's purpose in life. However, this still didn't make it any easier to get to know her. Yet, as the months had gone by he had to admit that he thought he was making progress. He now knew how she took her coffee and that she'd made it a point to know how he took his. She seemed considerate like that. He knew she was very intelligent. He'd witnessed her speaking in at least three different languages while talking to witnesses. Not to mention, she'd held her own around their ADAs when politics were the topic of choice and talked circles around John Munch and his weird ass conspiracy theories. She seemed to know a bit about everything, but didn't broadcast it. He knew she was street smart and seasoned. She had as many connections on the street as Odafin Tutuola and that guy had been in Narcotics a while back.

Olivia Benson had been doing this job for a long time and it was clear from the way she knew how to handle every victim differently and just how far to push a suspect in an interrogation. It still threw him a little how easily she could change the texture of her voice for any given situation. That kind of knowledge only came from experience.

Nick Amaro thought of himself as a damn good detective, but he had no problem admitting that Olivia Benson was one of the best he'd ever seen on the job. In the time since they had become partners, he'd never seen her as anything but solid; that is… until today. Something was definitely up with his partner and he was curious about what it could be.

Olivia stared down at the text message for what seemed like the millionth time since it had appeared on her phone. She blinked several times to make sure her eyes were not deceiving her.

"**_I'm home. I would really like to see you. May I take you to dinner?"_**

There were several thoughts running through her mind at the moment. First, Alexandra Cabot had just sent her a text message. Second, said message was grammatically correct. '_Leave_ _it to Alex Cabot to refuse to text speak like a normal human being.'_ The thought almost made her smile. Third, Alex was home, back from the Congo and had asked her to dinner. So here she sat, two hours later and she had yet to respond. All she could do was stare at the fifteen words in the little bubble on her screen.

To be honest, Olivia didn't really know how to respond. A part of her was thrilled that Alex was back, safe and sound. There had not been a day that had gone by when she did not think of Alex, worry for Alex. However, there was a part of her that was still angry… and a little hurt that Alex had left in the first place… left _her_ once again.

Olivia glanced at the screen and read the words once again and sighed deeply. When would she finally get over this? It had been years of this… "thing" that she could not put a name to; years of them being in and out of each other's lives. She started to calculate the time in her head. Alex gets shot and whisked away into Witness Protection, only to return two years later for the Conner's Trial. It would be another two years before Alex was able to come home for good. Then there was the bazaar period of time that Alex had been back in the city yet avoided everyone from her past and seemed to become some sort of pod person planted by the government… according to Munch that is.

Running her fingers through her hair in frustration, she slipped the phone back into her pocket, turning her attention back to the same DD5 she had been working on for the last hour. Some things would never change. Apparently, Alexandra Cabot would always have her tied in knots.

"Hey Benson, everything okay over there?" Nick finally asked.

Olivia blinked and lifted her eyes to meet her partners. "Uh, yeah… why?"

"Well… because you've been working on that same five for like an hour." He smirked as he leaned back in his chair linking his hands behind his head. "And I'm pretty sure that it's upside down."

Olivia glanced down and noticed that he was right. She rolled her eyes and quickly righted the form. "I guess I'm just a little distracted today. I don't know where my head is."

"I'd say it's on whatever is on your phone. You know the one you keep pulling out and staring at." He said with a small boyish grin.

Olivia had the good nature to blush. Even she had to admit that her partner was a cutie. There had been a time in her life when she might have been interested in a guy like him but she wasn't that person anymore. She just liked him because he really was a good guy.

Seeing the change in his partner's demeanor, peaked Nick's attention and he sat up and leaned on his desk in her direction. He deliberately lowered his voice so that only she could hear him. "I got your back, Benson… whatever it is."

Olivia smiled slightly. Nick Amaro was almost the exact opposite of her old partner, Elliot Stabler. Nick didn't demand to know what was up. He didn't feel the need to try to protect her like she was some helpless damsel in distress. He respected her skill as a cop and knew that she could handle herself. He just wanted to make sure that she knew that he had her back. Although she often missed the closeness she'd once shared with Elliot, there was something refreshing about this new partnership. Yep, she hated to admit it, but Nick Amaro was growing on her. It was because of this that she did something that she usually never did. She opened herself up about something other than the job.

"I just got a message from an old… friend. They've been away for a little while and now they're back. They asked me to dinner."

Nick knew this was big. Olivia was an extremely private person. She rarely shared anything, especially anything about her personal life. He knew he had to tread carefully or she would clam up.

"So… I take it this dinner would be like a _date_ or something?"

"Yes… No… I mean…" Olivia seemed to struggle. "I don't really know… what it would be."

Seeing Nick's confusion, she sighed in frustration. "This person and I have never really had that kind of relationship. Our relationship is… complicated."

"And by complicated, you mean…"

"I don't know. I never really know where I stand with he… um… them."

Nick smirked as she stumbled over her words.

Nick had been a detective long enough to pick up on the subtle things that most people missed. There was usually only one reason a person played the pronoun game. He wasn't into gossip, but he'd heard a few whispers passing the water cooler. There were more than a few women around the precinct and the courthouse that checked Olivia Benson out on a daily basis. It was kind of hard to miss even if his partner was completely oblivious to it. Apparently, they thought of her as some kind of lesbian wet dream. He gave her a quick once over and he could see where that came from. She had the smooth leather jacket, stylish snug pants and tops that showed off the impressive killer body, and the gun and badge that gave just the hint of danger. But those things were also the same reasons most of the guys would drool over her as well. Yes, Olivia Benson was definitely easy on the eyes. Just because he was married didn't mean he was blind.

He bit his lip, silently praying that she wouldn't have his balls for what he was about to say.

"Women can be that way." He said evenly as he pretended to work on his paperwork. "You should know that since you're a woman too."

Olivia's eyes snapped up to meet his. "What? I…I never said anything about it being a… a woman."

"You didn't have to." He shrugged his shoulders casually and grinned. "I'm a detective. I know things."

Considering what he'd just insinuated, she should have been angry about his assumption, but oddly enough she wasn't. There was something about that casual boyish grin of his that seemed to put her at ease. She found herself shaking her head and grinning back.

"And what exactly do you think you know, Detective Amaro?" She smirked as she stressed the word detective.

"I know that whoever sent you that message is most definitely a woman. Only a woman could tie someone up in knots like that."

Olivia narrowed her eyes at him in a mock glare. They had a stare down for a few seconds before he was the first to blink. He laughed a little holding his hands up in surrender. "_And_… my sister also happens to be gay. Before she actually came out, she used to use the word _'they'_ all the time when she would talk about the person she was dating."

He waited as she sat in silence for a moment. He was worried that he'd pushed a little too much.

"I'm not gay." She said quietly.

He nodded his head ready to apologize and let it go when she continued.

"But… I'm not exactly straight either."

"So…"

"So, I'm just me. I date who I like, you know?"

He breathed a little easier, glad that he had not offended her. "And… I'm guessing you _like_ this woman."

"That would be a safe bet."

"So, what's the problem? She must like you. She asked you to dinner."

"Like I said. It's… "

"Complicated." He added with a smile. The both laughed softly.

Olivia bit her lip. She couldn't believe she was sitting at her desk having this conversation so easily with her new partner. She would have never been able to talk like this to Elliot. There was always just too much… stuff _(religion, expectations, feelings)_… there between them.

"Like I said before, we've been friends a long time and I never really know where I stand with her."

Nick nodded as he stood from his desk stretching out his stiff back. He pulled his jacket off the back of his chair and slipped it on. "Maybe that dinner would be a good way to figure that out." He gave her a soft pat on the shoulder as he passed by. "I'm making a run. I need some real coffee. I'll get your usual."

"Thanks, Nick." She said realizing she was thanking him for much more than the coffee.

After a few moments of contemplation, she pulled out her phone and tapped the screen. She typed out a quick three-letter response to the message that had haunted her all afternoon.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: She's not…

Alexandra Cabot was many things. She was a brilliant lawyer. She could go toe to toe with some of the best legal minds around and come out on top. She lived and breathed the law. The courtroom was where she excelled. It was her playground.

Alexandra Cabot was stubborn and even a bit arrogant. She had the training and abilities to back up the hype, so why not own it she often thought. According to her father, Harvard University had been worth every single penny. And speaking of family…. Alexandra was by birth a Cabot at that name said it all. Everyone seemed to know all the things Alexandra Cabot was. What the world didn't know was everything she was not.

Contrary to popular belief, Alex was not an _'Ice Princess'_. She'd picked up that charming nickname when she was a young prosecutor with a newly minted law degree. That was back when the world seemed black and white, the lines between right and wrong were never blurred, and the law was as clear as day to her. She never wavered in her decisions and that sometimes made her seem cold-hearted and distant which couldn't have been farther from the truth. She simply took her pledge to honor and uphold the constitution more seriously than others. No one knew about the cases that left her completely devastated and depressed. Away from the prying eyes of others, Alexandra Cabot had shed more tears than she could remember.

Alexandra Cabot was not a snob. Alex knew what people said about her and what they thought. People made assumptions because she came from money. There were times when she internally cringed at how people reacted when they heard her last name. The term "old money" was thrown around a lot when people spoke of her family. Although Alex was very proud of whom she was, she never wanted her last name to define her.

But most importantly, Alexandra Cabot was not as confident as she appeared. Sure, she was confident when it came to her legal knowledge and her job. Yet, there was one area of her life where Alex had no confidence at all. That area was her personal life and these days her personal life consisted of one thing… or person rather. Detective Olivia Jayne Benson.

Olivia Benson was Alexandra Cabot's only weakness. She had been from the first time she'd laid eyes on the detective. Alex had always been able to compartmentalize her life and control her emotions. All that went out the window when she met Olivia Benson. The woman just had a way of getting to her like no one else had in her entire life.

Alex knew that she and Olivia had played this cat-and-mouse game for years. Before her stint in Witness Protection, Alex had admitted to herself that what she felt for Olivia was much more than friendship, but she had been able to put her thoughts of the detective aside. She put those feelings on hold thinking she'd always have enough time. Having your life torn away and your world turned upside down has a way of shaking one's confidence.

So here they were years later and still playing the game. She knew she'd made her mistakes where Olivia was concerned. She knew she had hurt Olivia when she'd returned and had not contacted her. That was still the huge pink elephant in the room between them. The question now was could she finally convince Olivia to forgive her and take a chance at the possibility of something more. All the Ivy League schooling in the world couldn't make her feel as confident as she wished she could be.

"It's been two hours already. Come on." Alex sighed and tossed the phone that had been in her hand nearly all afternoon. It landed on the nearby sofa with an audible thud.

"There are easier ways to get better phone service, Cabot."

Alex glared over her black frames at her best friend as she strolled into the room. "What are you doing here? I thought you had meetings downtown today?"

"And good afternoon to you too, my little ray of sunshine," came a sarcastic reply.

"Sorry Serena. That came out wrong. I'm just surprised to see you."

Serena rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yeah right. Anyway, I did have a meeting with the ACLU but that was this morning. I actually came by to see if you wanted to grab a late lunch."

Serena Southerlyn was now a partner in her own firm that specialized in offering legal representation to women as well as members of the lesbian and gay community which meant she had much more free time on her hands than she ever did before; something she would never complain about.

Serena eyed her friend's stiff posture as Alex leaned back against her desk. Flopping down on the sofa, she picked up the tossed away phone and glanced at it. She raised a brow in Alex's direction after reading the text.

"So you did it?"

Alex kept her arms folded as she nodded.

"Does this mean what I think it does?"

Again Alex nodded.

Serena looked at the phone again. "So… she hasn't responded?"

"No. She hasn't."

Serena bit her lip not really knowing what to say to comfort her best friend. She had always known how Alex felt about Olivia Benson. She was also privy to all the mistakes Alex had made along the way. They had known one another since they were kids. She knew Alex better than most and even _she_ didn't know how to explain what Alex had been thinking when she had returned home from Witsec. She just knew that her friend had been in pain and had to find her way back in her own time. So that's what she had allowed Alex to do. The bright side was that Alex had seemed to have found a new passion and she seemed more alive these days. Since she'd come home from the Congo, she seemed more like the Alex that she had known years ago.

Just as Serena opened her mouth to offer Alex her support, she heard and felt the vibration in her hand. They both froze. Serena glanced at the screen. A slow smile emerged on her face.

Alex's eyes were as big as saucers. "What? What is it?"

She quickly grabbed her phone and felt herself grinning like a fool. A wave of relief washed over her. "She said yes." She breathed.

"Of course she said yes. I told you she would." Serena couldn't help but grin along with her friend. "Looks like you have a date to plan, Cabot."

The smile slowly fell from her face and she seemed to pale rather quickly. "Oh God, I have to… dinner. I…I have to…"

Serena quickly stopped her pacing friend. "Breathe, Alex. Breathe. In and out… in and out. Good."

Once Alex's color returned, Serena pulled her over and sat her down on the sofa. It was time for some tough love.

"Alex, you are my best friend and you know that I love you like a sister, but you have a tendency to over think things… or at least you used to. I don't know what you saw over there in the Congo, but since you came back you've been the Alex that I remember years ago. You seem more like you again, if that actually makes sense. What I'm trying to say is, I know how you feel about Olivia. That is the one thing that has never changed throughout all this mess… all this time. The old Alex that I know wouldn't let anything get in the way of what she wanted. You love this woman. It's time to stop playing around and put your cards on the table. Use this chance to tell her how you feel. No matter what happens, at least you will finally know."

"You're right." Alex took a deep breath and nodded. "Thanks Serena."

"Anytime."

Serena gave her hand a quick squeeze before she stood. "Now, I'm going to go and get out of your hair."

"Hey, I thought you wanted to get lunch?" Alex asked.

Serena shook her head as she headed for the door. "Nah, I'll give you a call later. Right now, you have a special date to plan."

Alex sat alone on the sofa for a few moments. She stared at the three-letter word on the screen of her phone. "Yes, I certainly do."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Don't want to miss a thing

The two women had texted one another back and forth for a few days before everything was finalized. Nearly a week later, Olivia was fighting to keep her nerves from taking over as she waited for Alex to arrive. She didn't know why she was so nervous. It was only Alex. They'd had dinner together more times than she could count but it was something about this dinner that felt different to her.

Neither woman had actually spoken to the other. They had communicated strictly by text message. Once they had settled on a day and time, Alex had simply sent her a message that said,

**_'I haven't seen you in heels in a while. What do you say?'_**

Maybe that is what had Olivia so nervous. Every message from Alex had a hint of flirtation to it. She really didn't know what Alex was playing at.

The buzzing sound brought her out of her musings. Glancing at her watch, she knew exactly who it was. Alex had insisted on picking her up. She buzzed her visitor in and waited. A few minutes later, she heard the sound of soft knocking. She took a deep breath and smoothed out her dress before opening the door.

"Hello."

"Hi Alex."

Alex had to take a deep breath to keep from passing out. Olivia was still as breathtaking as usual. She was wearing a lovely black sleeveless knee-length dress with matching heels. Her hair looked a bit longer falling perfectly over her shoulders.

She cleared her throat and stared directly into endless brown eyes. "You look lovely, Olivia."

Olivia felt her body have a visceral reaction to Alex's smooth mezzo voice just as she always did. Her jaw dropped just a little at the intense gaze Alex was throwing her way. There was no mistaking that look. She pressed her lips together in a nervous smile. She wanted to speak but her voice wasn't cooperating at the moment.

She took a minute to allow her eyes to flow over the tall blonde before her. The royal blue silk dress was one shouldered, fitted along the body showing off her thin waistline and hint of hips. Legs seemed to go on forever until she reached the gold stilettos that probably cost more than what she made in two weeks. Her eyes flicked back up to find that familiar little smirk on red lips.

_'How does she always manage to look like she stepped out of a damn magazine?' _Olivia thought to herself.

Alex gave herself a mental high-five on her choice of attire. Spending all afternoon on her one day off searching for the perfect dress and shoes had paid off. She raised a brow. "Do you like, Detective?"

Olivia smiled shaking her head. "You already know you look good, Counselor. No need to fish for a compliment."

Alex chuckled. "Ouch. Typically people going on a date complement one another on their appearance, you know? It's not just my ego at play here."

Olivia laughed feeling some of the tension in the room fall away. This was the witty rapport that she and Alex always had. This was familiar. This was their dance.

"And my date would _typically_ bring me flowers or some sort of token of adoration. I don't see any flowers, Cabot."

"Well, maybe you weren't looking closely enough." Olivia's eyes widened as the beautiful blonde woman pulled a single red camellia from behind her back. "And here I thought you were a detective."

Just like that, the tension was back, heavier than ever. There was no mistaking it. Alex was making an outright romantic overture.

Olivia gently took the flower, thankful she was able to keep her hand from trembling.

"You don't miss a thing do you, Counselor?"

Alex smiled a genuine smile glad that Olivia seemed to be taking this new forwardness from her in stride. She again looked Olivia in the eyes. "I'm trying my best not to, Detective."

Olivia nodded as she brought the flower to her nose. It smelled wonderful and had a perfect bloom. It was just like Alex to only give the best.

"So, if I've passed this part of the date, maybe we could move on to dinner?"

Olivia was feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Alex, all of this is…"

"Olivia." Alex held up a hand. "I know… and I promise we can talk about anything and … everything." She paused and stared at Olivia meaningfully. "Let's just go and enjoy dinner first?"

Olivia knew when to concede. She knew there was no way in hell she would ever be able to turn down Alex Cabot, not when she was standing here looking like a freaking wet dream. She nodded and mumbled playfully, "Like I'd have a fighting chance trying to argue with a lawyer… especially one that's so stubborn."

Alex rolled her eyes glad that the tension had been broken again. She couldn't help but smile at the cocky smirk that was back on her favorite detective's face. "Whatever you say. Come on Detective. I owe you dinner."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Leap of Faith

To Olivia's surprise they didn't end up at some stuffy over priced restaurant. She looked at Alex suspiciously as they pulled up to a high-rise on the Upper East Side. Alex was definitely surprising her at every turn tonight. They had ended up back at Alex's penthouse. No explanations were given. Alex had simply shown her inside, sat her down, and handed her a glass of wine.

"I thought we were going to have dinner?" Olivia finally asked.

"We are, just not at a restaurant. I'm going to cook it for us."

Olivia's face told Alex everything she needed to know. She couldn't help herself. She actually laughed out loud at the apparent fear on the usually stoic detective's face. She thought it was absolutely adorable.

"Relax Olivia. I _can _actually cook."

"Sorry Alex. It's just that… you once testified in court that you set your own stove on fire."

Alex laughed again as she placed a crisp white apron over her dress and began preparing their dinner. Olivia picked up her wine glass and moved closer, taking a seat on a bar stool on the other side of the island and watched as her friend moved gracefully in her kitchen. Olivia noticed how comfortable Alex looked. It was also kind of sexy.

"And it was very true. I did cause a small fire. I was never much of a cook back then, but you are forced to learn a lot when you're in a small town in the middle of nowhere with no take-out options. It was either learning to cook, starving, or eating McDonald's every night." She shrugged her shoulders, giving Olivia a wry look. "I grew tired of the nuggets really quickly."

Olivia became fascinated with this new side of Alex. She was more open than  
she had ever been. The blonde had never actually spoken to her about her time in Witsec, not even with Olivia. Olivia found herself hanging on Alex's every word.

"So, you learned to cook huh?"

Alex nodded. "Mmhmm…" She stopped for a moment and slipped into the other room. Olivia heard soft jazz music begin to play. Alex picked up the conversation as she returned to the kitchen.

"I had been in my first location for nearly three months. I wasn't adjusting too well and my handler was encouraging me to find a hobby to help take my mind off of things." She rolled her eyes. "As if that would help. Anyway, I was reading the paper one day and saw that the community center offered a culinary class. After I had tried just about everything on the menu at the local fast food restaurants, I signed up hoping that I could just learn how to make a few things to get by on my own. Turned out the instructor was a real chef. She made it enjoyable so I kept going back. It kept me occupied and made things… a little easier."

"You said first location. Did you have to move around a lot?" Olivia asked hoping Alex would continue opening up.

Alex turned off the burner and started plating the food, which Olivia had to admit smelled absolutely divine.

"Well, you already know I was Emily Sullivan, a claims adjuster for an insurance company in Wisconsin. After the Connor's Trial, I was moved again. I became Stephanie Watson, a junior high school English teacher in Nebraska. They knew I had minored in English as an undergrad and figured I could manage teaching. That only lasted for about three or four months though. Apparently, I don't have the temperament to be a good teacher." Alex gave Olivia a wounded look. "Believe me when I say, I have a completely new appreciation for all teachers around the world. It is definitely a calling."

Olivia laughed. "I'll bet."

"Then I went to Wilcox, Arizona. Believe it or not, it wasn't too bad there. I was actually a receptionist at the local news station. My name was Angie Peters and apparently I was a _Republican_. Can you believe it?"

Olivia laughed at the horrified look on Alex's face. When the laughter died down, Alex's voice became softer.

"I had kind of gotten used to being there when the marshals came and moved me in the middle of the night. The only thing they told me was that my identity had been compromised. I hadn't made many friends, just a couple of people from work." She paused for a moment. "I never even got to say goodbye to them. I hated that."

Olivia eyed her closely. She could see a little sadness in her eyes.

"So where'd you end up after that?" she asked quietly.

Alex lifted the plates and jerked her head for the brunette to follow. Olivia followed her into the next room which turned out to be a separate dining room. The table had been beautifully set with white linens and gleaming flatware. The soft lighting of candles around the room gave it a romantic atmosphere. She raised a brow at the setting which Alex chose to ignore. Once everything was in its place, Alex took off her apron and pulled Olivia's chair out for her.

Once seated, Alex waited for Olivia to taste her food. She watched in appreciation as the brunette closed her eyes and moaned.

"Alex, this is amazing. You really _can_ cook."

"Try not to sound so surprised, Detective." She said with a smile. "I'm just glad my cooking classes are finally paying off."

"So, you never answered my question. Where did you end up after Arizona?"

"Oh. After my little stay in Wilcox, I became Sarah Johnson, a pre-law professor at a small college in Iowa."

Olivia grinned. "They actually let you do something related to your original field?"

Alex sipped her wine and nodded. "Same thing I thought when they moved me. To be honest, I think the marshals were so tired of me giving them a hard time and moving me around that they just gave in. I ended up staying there for about a year and a half until I was able to come home for good."

"Wow. I wonder if those college kids knew they were learning from one of the greatest legal minds around."

Alex blushed at the compliment and looked down. "You're much to kind. I wasn't that great in the beginning. I had to learn really quickly that students don't walk into a law class knowing the law already. It was a humbling experience, but a good one. I finally got the hang of it and I think I might have done some good." She shrugged her shoulders. "I still missed being home more than anything, but being able to have some part of my old life made living a lie every day a little more bearable."

"Is that what it felt like… living a lie?"

Alex thought for a moment before answering. "In a way, yes. I felt like the worst liar in the world. Every interaction, conversation, everything about me was based on this lie that had been created for me. Those years were the loneliest years of my life. I had to be so careful of what I said and how I acted. I was always afraid I'd slip up and say the wrong thing. I spent a lot of time by myself because it was just easier to keep everyone around me at a distance."

Alex grew quiet and there was a thick silence between them. Olivia cleared her throat and broke the silence first.

"Alex, I'm sorry for bringing all of this up. I can tell that was a difficult time for you. I can't even imagine what that must have been like for you."

"It couldn't have been easy for you either." Alex responded softly. "You may not believe me, but I _do_ realize that I wasn't the only person affected. I hope you know that."

Olivia immediately started to tense up. "It doesn't matter. It's all water under the bridge now."

"Actually, I don't think it is." She looked down and toyed with the napkin in her lap. "I know you want to know why I came back and never called; why I've been… distant still."

There it was again. This was the gigantic pink elephant in the room that they had tried to pretend didn't exist for so long. Alex had finally brought it up, but Olivia wasn't so sure she was ready to deal with it.

"Alex, we really don't have to do this." Olivia made a move to stand.

"Please. Just… don't go." Alex reached out and placed her hand over Olivia's keeping her in place. "I was so happy when I got the news that Velez had died in prison. I never thought I would rejoice in anyone's death, even his… but I did. He was gone and no longer a threat, so I could return home. I could have my life back."

Olivia slowly sat back down, but continued to hold Alex's hand.

"I thought coming home would make everything okay again, but..." She slowly shook her head and took a deep breath. "… nothing was the same. My mother was gone. It didn't really hit me until I was actually back. My other family welcomed me home, but with a healthy degree of suspicion as well as anger."

"Anger?"

Alex nodded. "Yes, anger. Many of them couldn't understand why I hadn't trusted them enough to let them know the truth in the first place. They just couldn't understand. Everything was just so strange. Everyone else had moved on with their lives while I was still stuck in this…this limbo. So, I tried to pick up what was left of my life and move on as well. I just didn't handle it very well. My job was no longer my job. SVU had a new ADA. There was no place for me there anymore. Suddenly because I'd taken a bullet, Arthur Branch thought that meant I deserved to be promoted to Bureau Chief. Overnight, I became the new darling of One Hogan Place and on the front page of every paper. I guess it's true what they say, the public loves a good story with a hero."

Alex took a few moments before continuing. "The problem was I didn't feel like a hero. I couldn't _feel_ anything at all. I was just numb. So, I threw myself back into the only thing that was familiar…work. I threw myself into a job that I really didn't want because that was what I had grown used to doing while I was in the program. I was home but I was still pretending to be someone else. The only difference was '_Alex Cabot'_ was my identity this time. Then, came Robert. I met Robert Young at a charity benefit in honor of my mother and he seemed nice and understanding so we started dating."

Olivia really didn't want to hear this part of the story, but she remained quiet.

"He seemed to want the same things I wanted or what I _thought_ I wanted. When he asked me to marry him…" Alex shrugged. "I said yes. I guess I thought that was what I was supposed to do. I knew I wasn't in love with him and so did he. The fact that I couldn't sleep with my own fiancé should have been a huge clue but he said he didn't mind; we could wait until we were married." Alex shook her head sadly. "I think he thought he could love me enough for the both of us."

"That still doesn't explain why you never called me. Alex, you were my friend… my best friend." Olivia said blinking back tears. "I would have been there for you."

Alex shook her head blinking away her own tears. "I know and I am truly sorry… truly sorry that I hurt you. You don't know how many times I picked up the phone and dialed your number only to hang up."

"But why?"

"Because the thought of seeing you again… talking to you was the only thing I _could_ feel…. and it hurt too much."

Olivia looked wounded. This time, she couldn't blink away the large tear that cascaded down her cheek.

"Oh. No. Sweetheart, I don't mean it like that." Alex reached out and gently wiped the tear way before gently cupping Olivia's cheek. "I knew that I was a complete and utter mess, Olivia." She ignored the tears falling from her own eyes. "I wasn't myself. I wasn't the Alex Cabot that you had once known. I didn't know if I'd ever be able to be that person again. I couldn't bear to see the disappointment in your eyes when you realized that she actually died out there on that sidewalk that night."

Something in Olivia's chest tightened at the thought. "Alex, I would have never…"

"I know that now. A part of me knew it back then." She pulled her hand away from Olivia's cheek and wiped her own tears away. "But you have to understand that I had hit rock bottom. I realized that I was in real trouble when I slept with a co-worker that I knew I didn't care anything about… hoping that I'd be able to feel… _something_… _anything_ again. It only made things worse. I just felt… dirty. I did the one thing that I had never done. I had cheated. Even if I didn't love Robert, he still deserved my fidelity."

Olivia flinched slightly. Alex hesitated before she continued allowing the other woman to take everything in. She knew it was a lot, but she couldn't afford not being honest about it all… good and bad.

"That's when I took a leave of absence and started seeing a therapist. I started taking the steps I needed to take to get myself… my life back. When I finally did come back to work, I asked Branch for a reassignment so that I could decide what type of future I wanted to have in the DA's office, or even _if_ I wanted a future there at all. There were a lot of things in my life that I wanted to change… starting with you. I had planned on contacting you before I was sent back to work SVU cases. I swear to you that I didn't even know what kind of case it was until I arrived and saw you and Elliot there on the scene. Believe me when I say that I was just as thrown by seeing you there as you were to see me."

Alex waited for Olivia to respond. The brunette said nothing as she stood and walked out of the room. Alex remained seated feeling bereft. A few moments later, she found Olivia standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows that made up the entire left wall. The room was dark and the 59th Street Bridge was lit up in the distant background. Alex just stood there and watched her for a few moments. With the city as her backdrop, Olivia had never looked more breathtaking.

"After I saw you that day, I went home and gave Robert his ring back that same night." Alex said softly. Olivia never turned around. Alex moved closer until she was standing right behind her. "He was a good man. He had forgiven me for… everything and had tried to understand through it all but I couldn't do it anymore. I told him that I would never be able to give him my heart because it already belonged to someone else."

After a long pause, Olivia finally spoke. Her voice was quiet and thick with emotion. "Alex, why are you telling me all this now? We were working together for months before you decided to leave again and you always kept your distance."

"I don't know. I guess I thought we could just go back to the way things used to be. I thought if I kept you away, I could keep all those old feelings from coming back. I just didn't know how hard that would be."

"Why did you ask me to dinner tonight, Alex?"

Alex knew exactly what the other woman was really asking. She could see the reflection of the detective's face in the window. She could see the tears on her cheeks.

"Isn't it obvious, Olivia?"

Olivia released a sob and pressed her forehead to the smooth glass. "Alex…"

"Don't you think it's time for us to stop running from this… from one another?" Alex placed her hand gently on the brunette's back. She could feel her tremble.

The heat from Alex's hand ran through her body like a wild-fire. She felt light-headed and closed her eyes. Feeling the blonde step closer, she finally turned around. She found herself swimming in a sea of blue. Alex was standing so close; she could feel her breath on her cheek. Brown eyes met blue and stared.

_'Time to put your money where mouth is,' _Alex said to herself.

"Olivia, I have been in love with you for as long as I can remember. The one thing that kept me alive all those lonely years was my love for you." Alex whispered as her hands gently cupped the brunette's face. "I know I don't deserve you; I know that. I have been selfish. I have been unfeeling and unkind, but I am asking you to forgive me. I know that I hurt you so badly… And even if you never feel the same way…"

"Shut up."

Alex blinked feeling her heart clinch.

"Just… shut up." Olivia held up a hand putting her fingers over Alex's lips. Alex closed her eyes and leaned into her touch. She took a moment to gently caress that magnificent face before her; the face she never thought she'd have the right to touch this way.

Alex opened her eyes and saw the soft grin on the detective's face. She tried to speak only to have Olivia press her fingers more firmly and shake her head. "Stop it. I mean it. If you keep talking, you'll just ruin it."

Alex raised a brow in question which made Olivia's smile grow. "You are so… so incredibly beautiful. Do you know that?"

With Olivia's fingers still in place, Alex was forced to just shake her head.

"You are. You are absolutely stunning; you always have been." Olivia looked at her in complete wonder. "You're standing here…" She glanced around the room. "…in this beautiful place, looking the way you do… telling _me_ that you love me. I just want to take it all in for a second."

Alex stood in silence allowing Olivia to have her moment. She would do whatever Olivia asked no matter the request.

"Are you sure?" Olivia suddenly blurted.

The question was asked so urgently that it surprised Alex. She blinked and mumbled through the fingers on her lips. Olivia actually let out a small giggle. Alex thought it was so adorable, she was certain she had just fallen in love a little deeper.

"Sorry." Olivia mumbled as she removed her hand.

Alex never took her eyes off Olivia's as she took her hand and slowly brought it to her lips. She placed the gentlest kiss on the palm of her love's hand. Staring into brown, Alex spoke clearly and without hesitation.

"Olivia, you're the love of my life."

Olivia thought her heart was going to beat right out of her chest. She could barely breathe. "That's… good. That's really good because I love you… so much."

For the first time in years, Alex felt like she was finally home… like every piece of her life had finally fallen back into place. She let out a deep breath in relief. She took the last leap off the cliff and pulled Olivia into her arms.

It was hard to tell who kissed whom. They just met somewhere in the middle and found one another. The kiss seemed to go on forever. Olivia had heard all the sappy stories about first kisses and how people would hear violins and all that other cheesy crap. But, standing there with Alex _'fucking'_ Cabot in her arms suddenly made all of those stories pale in comparison. She literally ached for this woman.

Apparently, all the medical studies about the human body needing oxygen to survive had merit and Alex finally pulled away. She draped her arms around Olivia's neck as Olivia's found her waist. They held one another as close as possible. Alex had never felt such peace. She wanted to stay in this woman's embrace forever. Olivia leaned back and put their foreheads together. They smiled shyly at each other.

"Can we do that all the time now?" Alex whispered.

Olivia chuckled. "We can do whatever you want, Counselor."

Alex leaned back and laughed so beautifully that Olivia's breath caught in her throat. She had a mischievous twinkle in her blue eyes. "You have no idea what you're in for, Detective."

For some reason, Olivia didn't think she'd mind much at all.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews and for following this story. I love hearing what you think. I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Chapter 5: Catching Up

A short while later, heels had been kicked off and tossed aside as they had danced slowly to the softly playing music. They had made out like teenagers for what seemed like forever then Alex fed Olivia the dessert she had made when they needed to calm their raging hormones. Olivia was now lying with her head in Alex's lap enjoying the soft jazz music while looking out over the city.

"I like your hair like this." Alex said running her fingers through the soft brown strands. "I liked it short too, but I like it this way as well. What made you grow it out?"

"I don't know. I guess I just wanted something different."

"Well, it looks beautiful on you. You have gorgeous hair."

"Thanks."

"You know, we've talked a lot about me tonight and not so much about you. I know we've been around each other but… we haven't really talked _to _each other, at least not about anything important."

Olivia turned her head and looked up into the blue eyes above. "Something you want to know in particular?"

Alex shrugged. "I want to know _everything_ about you, but I'll settle with an update of what you were up to while I was gone."

Olivia thought for a moment about where she should begin. She just decided to go with the truth and let it all hang out. If Alex could take the leap, she could too. "The first couple of years, I sort of just… existed. I missed you like crazy. I worried about you _all_ the time. It was weird. I felt like a grieving widow even though we were never together. Does that even make sense?"

Alex nodded knowing exactly how she felt. "Yes, it does."

"Then you came back for the trial and I thought it would be easier because I'd seen for myself that you were safe and you were making a life for yourself, even if it was with someone else. It didn't help. I just missed you so much more and I hated the fact that I had never told you how I felt about you. After they took you away again, I tried to date. Most of them were disasters or… umm…" Olivia tensed and glanced at Alex. "… one night stands."

Alex nodded and just kept stroking her hair. Olivia felt some of the tension ease. "I went through a real… rough patch a few years ago. I think that was my rock bottom."

The hand in Olivia's hair stopped. "What happened?"

"I nearly lost… everything trying to help my brother."

Alex looked at her in confusion, already knowing all about Olivia's past. "You have a brother?" Alex suddenly felt even worse, wondering what else she had missed. "We really should have talked more shouldn't we?"

Olivia nodded. "Yeah, we should've."

"So tell me about this brother and what happened."

"Half-brother. His name is Simon."

"You found you're father?"

"His name was Joseph Hollister. He died in prison." Olivia bit her lip unsure how Alex would take the next bit of information. "To make a long story short, I wasn't handling the things going on in my life all that well and suddenly there was this person in my life that I shared a possible connection with. I had to know if the connection was real so I… I _kind of _illegally ran Simon's and my DNA through the system to find out who he was."

"Olivia! You could have lost your badge or worse! What on earth were you thinking?"

Olivia smirked. She loved seeing Alex all fired up. "I wasn't really thinking. Everything was a mess, Alex. Besides, I didn't have you to keep me out of trouble anymore."

"Well, I'm here now and you had better not even _THINK_ of doing anything like that again, Olivia. I mean it."

"Yes, ma'am." Olivia tried to look contrite.

Alex just rolled her eyes not buying the innocent look for a minute. She mumbled something about being pig-headed and reckless before giving Olivia a lazy wave of the hand. "Go on. I know there's more."

"Okay… umm… you may have heard that I had a short relationship with Kurt Moss."

Alex _had_ heard about it and she was insanely jealous. "The guy from the Ledger, right?"

Olivia nodded and Alex snorted. "What is it with you and reporters?"

Olivia narrowed her eyes and stuck out her tongue secretly relieved that Alex was taking this all in stride.

"Ha. Ha. He's actually the chief editor and it didn't last very long. It wasn't that much of a relationship. I didn't even tell Elliot about him. It only became public knowledge because IAB were harassing us… again. I went out with David Haden for a while."

Alex smirked. "Should I be worried? Do you have a secret thing for ADAs, Detective?"

"Trust me. There is only one ADA for me and that is you."

That must have been the correct answer because Alex gave her a kiss that curled her toes. They sat in silence for a moment before Alex asked the question she knew had to be asked sooner or later.

"What about Brian Cassidy? I heard through the grapevine that you two were dating… _very_ recently." Alex was trying not to sound jealous, but didn't think she was succeeding.

"I wouldn't call it dating."

"Then what would you call it?"

"Remember how you said you hooked up with your co-worker so you could feel something again?"

Alex nodded.

"I think that's what I was trying to do too. Cassidy was familiar and…" She looked away from Alex. "It was just sex, Alex. I'm not proud of it, but that's all it was."

"Hey." Alex pulled her chin back so she could look into her eyes. "You don't owe me anything. I understand and I'm so sorry that I wasn't there for you. I have screwed up so much with you."

"We both did." Olivia kissed the palm of her hand. "But, we're together now and that's all that matters, right?"

"Right."

"Hey…I forgot to tell you when we got here that I love your new place." Olivia said needing a change of subject. "It's… It's… uh…"

"Big?" Alex offered with a smirk.

Olivia shrugged. "Maybe a little, but it really is beautiful space."

Alex sighed and looked around. "Thanks. I didn't actually buy this place though."

"You didn't?"

"After I… _died_…" Alex cringed slightly. It was still strange to say that. "My aunt said that my mother wanted to feel closer to me. Being in the city made her feel that way so she made plans to move back and bought this place." She sighed heavily and blinked away a few tears. The loss of her mother still hit her at random moments. "She became ill shortly after. Uncle Bill and Aunt Julia said the cancer was very aggressive and it was… quick. So she never even had the chance to decorate it or move in."

Olivia took one of the blonde's hands and brought it to her lips then held it lovingly, offering her support. Alex smiled at the gesture. "I was really sorry to hear about your mother's passing. She was a lovely woman."

Alex smiled fondly. "She always liked you."

"I liked her too."

"Anyway… when I came back for good, the entire estate was turned over to me. This place was still vacant and for some reason I just couldn't bring myself to sell it. I didn't even tell Robert about it. Once, I finally started rebuilding my life and I was on my own again, I decided to move in here. I don't know if that was a good idea or not."

"Why?"

"I don't know. When I was in the program, all of my homes were kind of small so it took me a while to get used to all the… space here. I didn't even decorate it the first few months. I literally had a bed, a desk, and a chair. But… the better I got, the more at home I felt here. It was almost like I could feel _her_ here, which makes no sense at all because my mother never even lived here."

"It does make sense. No matter how small, this place is a connection to your mother. It was something she bought with you in mind."

Alex shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I never thought of it that way."

"That's what I'm here for, sweetheart."

Alex smiled at the term of endearment. "Once I got everything the way I wanted it, it was still a while before I let anyone come here. It's kind of big and on the Upper East Side. I just didn't want the people I worked with to think…"

"That you were a pretentious snob?"

Alex's mouth dropped. "Hey!" She swatted Olivia's arm playfully.

Olivia genuinely laughed. God, she couldn't remember the last time she had really laughed. She sat up still laughing. She leaned in and kissed Alex gently on the lips and placed a golden lock back behind her ear.

"I wasn't saying that you were a pretentious snob. I was saying that you didn't want people to _think_ you were. There's a huge difference."

Alex sent a mock glare her way before smiling. She just couldn't stop smiling around this woman.

"You've always been that way, you know?" Olivia stated.

"What do you mean?"

"You've always tried to downplay that part of your life." Olivia said thoughtfully.

"I learned at a very young age that people would form opinions about me as soon as they found out." She shrugged her shoulders. "So, I tried not to draw attention to it."

"Besides the expensive suits and shoes you wore to court, I never really saw you throwing money around, Alex. Even when we went shopping together, you never went overboard. You weren't exactly what I had expected… especially after I got to know you."

"So if you didn't see me, as you say, throwing money around, how did you know I even had money? I could have been an extremely smart dresser on a budget." Alex said smugly.

Olivia started speaking as if she was explaining things to a small child. "Sweetie, there is thing called the internet. It's a rather amazing invention. See you type in what you need information on and…"

Again Alex playfully punched her. "You googled my family?"

"Of course not!" Olivia looked almost insulted. "I ran a background check on you. It's totally different." She mumbled.

"Olivia!"

"What? You came marching in with your fancy suit and perfect hair talking about how you were going to use SVU as your stepping stone to the Governor's mansion. What else did you expect us to do?"

Alex threw her head back and laughed. "God, I was such an insufferable ass back then!"

"Just back then?"

Alex glared at her. This was the mischievous detective she'd always loved. "You could have just asked me, you know? I would have told you whatever you wanted to know about me."

Olivia leaned in and looked at her lovingly. "Alex, I could barely keep myself from tripping over my own two feet when you stepped into the room, let alone hold a conversation with you about the size of your trust fund and political ambitions."

Alex's heart melted. "You liked me… like that… even then?"

Olivia nodded shyly. "Yeah. I liked you a lot… more than a lot actually."

Alex leaned into Olivia and snuggled into her side. "You are such a big softy."

"Don't tell anyone that. I have a reputation to uphold, you know?"

"Of course you do."

Olivia rested her chin on Alex's head while she ran her fingers through long blonde tresses. She sighed heavily. "It's getting late. I should probably be getting home."

Alex wanted nothing more than to keep Olivia here with her forever. It would have been so easy to offer her one of the guest rooms, but she knew that this was their first date and didn't want that tainted in any way. She knew they had to take things slowly. This new beginning was much too important to her to risk… even if she was incredibly tempted. She removed herself from Olivia's arms and stood.

"You're probably right. Let me grab my keys and I'll drive you home."

Olivia grabbed her hand pulling her back. "You don't have to drive me, Alex. I can get a cab and get myself home safely. I'm a cop remember?"

Alex pulled Olivia up from the sofa and draped her arms around her neck. Olivia leaned in for a long sensual kiss.

"Not tonight. Tonight, you are simply my date. Being the traditional woman that I am, I happen to take the rules of dating quite seriously." She kissed Olivia once more before stepping away to pick up their shoes. "And I plan to court you properly, my dear. So… since I picked you up, I am going to be a perfect gentleman and see you back home to your door. No objections."

Olivia smiled shyly as she took her belongings. "You really are something else, Counselor."

"Your chariot awaits, my lady."

The ride across town was relatively quiet. They held hands as Alex guided them through the light traffic. True to her word, Alex walked Olivia up to her door.

Olivia fiddled with her keys for a moment then turned to face the beautiful woman standing before her. "Would you… like to come in for coffee… or a nightcap maybe?"

"Yes, I would but I can't." She shook her head. "Because if I do, we won't have coffee and I won't be leaving you until morning."

Olivia moved into the blonde's space until they were touching along their fronts. She leaned in and nibbled along Alex's neck. "Isn't that usually the point?"

Alex let out a painful moan. Olivia had a body that would not quit and she was using it well. Somewhere she found the strength to pull away.

"Yes, usually, but I want us to be the exception to the rule. I don't want casual with you, Olivia." She caressed Olivia's cheek gently. "I want to court you. I want… to do right _by_ you."

Even through the fog of arousal, Olivia had never felt so cherished before. She actually swooned. She could hear Fin's voice in her head. _'Damn, the girl got game.'_ She quickly shook the thought away because Alex was still speaking.

"Tonight has been so wonderful, but it's still our first date. So no matter how much I want to come inside, I won't because you deserve better." She lifted Olivia's hand and gently placed a kiss on the back before stepping away. "And you will have that if I have anything to say about it."

Olivia stood there speechless. Alex blushed adorably before placing one last kiss on her cheek. "Good night, Olivia."

"Good night, Alex."

Olivia stood in her doorway long after Alex had disappeared behind the elevator doors. She was still trying to convince herself that the entire night had not all been a dream.

Olivia was lying in bed a half hour later when she heard her phone vibrating on the nightstand. She grabbed it, hoping it wasn't related to a case. She smiled when she saw that it was a text from Alex. She read it and quickly typed her response.

_Alex: 'I didn't want you to worry. I'm home safe and sound.'_

_Olivia: 'U know me well. Thank u, sweetheart. I'll sleep easier now.'_

_Alex: 'I really like that, you know?'_

_Olivia: 'What?'_

_Alex: 'When you call me sweetheart'_

_Olivia: 'I'll call u whatever u like as long as I can call u, Counselor.'_

_Alex: 'You are such a big softy, Detective.'_

_Olivia: (kiss emotion) 'Only for u.'_

_Alex: 'Sweet dreams, Detective.'_

_Olivia: 'Can't believe u didn't send me a kiss emotion back.'_

_Alex: 'I hope you know that I'm rolling my eyes at you right now. Besides, I refuse to use animation. I only give my kisses in person.'_

_Olivia: 'Well, I'll be waiting then. Goodnight.'_

_Alex: 'Goodnight.'_

Olivia placed her phone back on the nightstand and closed her eyes with a wide smile on her face.

TBC...


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you for your feedback. It is greatly appreciated. Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

**Chapter 6: Uptown Girl**

Olivia strolled into the 1-6 the following morning with an infectious smile, a box of fresh doughnuts, and a carrier holding five piping hot coffees. Fin was the first to look up and see her.

"Good morning guys. I brought breakfast." Olivia tried her best to keep her voice even, but she couldn't help thinking that she sounded… chipper.

Munch leaned back in his chair and stared at her like she was an alien. Rollins stopped while she was in the middle of using the stapler. Olivia was sure it had landed on the blonde's foot even though Rollins hadn't moved an inch. Fin was in an equally stunned position while Nick was grinning at her like the cat that had eaten the canary.

"Umm… guys? It's just breakfast."

"What's wrong with your face?" Fin asked bluntly.

Olivia immediately touched her face. "What? What is it?"

Fin narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You're smiling. What's up with you?"

Olivia tried to laugh it off and turned away from Fin only to come face to face with Munch. She rolled her eyes. "What is it, John?"

John looked deeply into her eyes. It was like he was looking for something. "What have you done with the real Olivia?"

Olivia rolled her eyes again and pushed him out-of-the-way to get to her desk. She saw Rollins and Amaro watching her too.

"What is wrong with you people?" She asked loudly holding her hands out.

"Nothing. You just seem…" Amanda shrugged her shoulders. "… different this morning."

Amanda Rollins hadn't been in the unit all that long, but she'd gotten to know Olivia Benson well enough to know that she was acting differently.

"It's just doughnuts and coffee guys. Trust me, I'll think twice next time I decide to do something nice." Olivia said becoming annoyed by the weirdness of her colleagues.

She sat down and started pulling out her files. There was a chorus of 'sorry' and 'thank you' coming from around the room before everyone had settled back into the regular routine. There was only one exception. She could feel Nick Amaro's eyes on her.

A few minutes later, Amanda and Fin got called out to a scene and John was in a meeting with Cragen leaving Olivia alone with her partner. Most of the morning passed by like any ordinary day; that is until something out of the ordinary happened.

"Umm, excuse me." The detectives stopped for a moment to see a young delivery guy standing in the entryway. He was wearing headphones and chewing gum. "I gotta delivery for a… Detective… Olivia Benson."

Olivia suddenly wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole. She felt everyone's eyes on her and she tried not to blush when she heard a few cat calls and whistles. She held her hand up and gestured to the delivery guy. He walked over and placed a medium-sized bouquet in a glass vase on her desk. It was perfect, not too big not too small. There were several yellow primroses mixed in with pink camellias. They were a stunning combination.

Olivia signed for the flowers and prepared to tip the guy when he held up a hand.

"The tip has already been included. Oh, this is yours too." He handed over a small ivory envelope before walking out bobbing his head to his music.

Olivia sat there for a second before opening the envelope. She found a small note inside with the letters A.G.C embossed in gold across the top. Her heart fluttered.

**_'O,_**

**_Thank you for a lovely evening. I will count the minutes until I am able to see you again._**

**_Love,_**

**_A'_**

Olivia pulled out her phone and sent out a quick text message.

**'A,**

**_Got the flowers. Gonna catch hell from the guys but I don't care. Thank u. They're almost as beautiful as u._**

**_Love,_**

**_O'_**

Olivia could feel her partner's eyes on her as she put her phone away. Several minutes passed by before she finally gave in and looked at him. She knew she was going to have to face him eventually. At least it was just him at the moment and not the entire gang.

"You have something to say Amaro?"

"You're not going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About the date? I'm guessing by that grin you can't seem to wipe off of your face that dinner with the _'friend'_ went well."

Olivia blushed slightly which only made Nick grin more.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She pretended to start working on her paperwork.

"Alright, if that's how you wanna play it. You know Rollins is gonna follow you around like a puppy until she finds out. I just thought you might want to practice on me first so you'd be ready." He shook his head and went back to work.

She groaned and resisted the urge to bang her head on the desk. "Okay. So, I went on the date and… it was good."

Nick smirked and raised his brow. "Just good? Judging by the expensive flowers, I'd say it was great… or at least 'she' thought it was great."

Olivia finally just gave up and dropped her head into her hands. When she looked up she was smiling radiantly. He wouldn't have believed it if he had not witnessed it himself. His tough as nails partner was sitting at her desk blushing like a schoolgirl with a crush.

"It was great. I mean… we had to talk about some things first and clear the air, but after that…" Her voice became wistful. "… everything else was… perfect. _She_ was perfect. It was everything I'd ever imagined it would be and more."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "Yeah. She cooked, we danced, we talked, laughed and kis… umm…" She coughed as she remembered who she was talking to. "… then she drove me home and walked me to my door."

Nick shook his head and laughed. "You mean you didn't…umm?" He wiggled his brows.

"Nope." Olivia blushed and sipped her coffee. "It was our first date, you know? She said she wants to court me."

"_Court_ you?" Nick raised a brow.

Olivia nodded and he smiled. Not many things impressed Nick Amaro, but he had to admit whoever this chick Olivia was digging was impressive.

"She sounds pretty classy."

"Oh, you have no idea."

Just then, Olivia heard her cell ringing. She immediately recognized the ringtone. It was _"Uptown Girl"_ by Billy Joel. Fin was always stealing her phone putting ridiculous ringtones on them. She picked it up and answered it as professionally as possible. She was glad to see her partner get up to refill his coffee.

"Benson."

"Are the guys giving you a hard time about the flowers? I didn't really think about the position I was putting you in until just now. I'm sorry."

Alex was rambling so fast, Olivia nearly laughed. She was touched and she felt that familiar fluttering in her stomach again.

"Please don't be." She lowered her voice a little as she eyed her partner across the room. "It's fine. It's just me and Nick right now. I'm sure the others will hound me later. They flowers really are gorgeous. Thank you again."

"You're gorgeous. You're all I can think about… and I know it sounds incredibly sappy but I really don't want to do anything else."

Olivia felt herself blush again and groaned. "You're killing me, sweetheart. I haven't blushed this much since I was in grade school."

Alex's melodious laughed floated across the line. "I told you that I was going to court you properly, Detective. You should know by now that I will always back up what I say."

Olivia swallowed as she saw Nick returning to his desk. "Well, I will definitely look forward… umm… into that, ma'am."

Again, Alex laughed softly. She could tell Olivia was no longer able to talk openly to her. "Call me when you finish up tonight. I'd love to see you again."

"Will do."

"Goodbye, Olivia."

"Bye."

Olivia placed her phone back in the desk and went back to work.

"So, how's Cabot?" Nick asked with a smirk on his face.

Olivia froze and tried to be casual. "What?"

_'There goes that damn grin again.'_ Olivia thought. _'Fuck'_

"You know your phone isn't the only one Fin steals. He said he put the exact same ringtones on my phone. Can you imagine that? I kinda think _'Uptown Girl'_ fits Cabot perfectly." Nick gave her a knowing look.

Olivia closed her eyes and groaned. She really, really wanted to bang her head against her desk now.

"So… Alex Cabot is the _'friend'_? Wow. Really?" He looked almost amazed.

_'Time to bite the bullet, Benson. It's bound to come out sooner or later.' _

"Yeah, so what?" She threw back in a huff. She was on cloud nine about Alex and wasn't about to take any flack about her from anybody.

Nick held up his hands and laughed. "Hey. Nothing! I swear. Cabot is cool with me. You know that. I'm just… I mean…"

"What?"

"Damn, chica! You caught a dame like Cabot? How in the hell did you pull that off?"

She paused for a moment then found herself laughing with him. She threw a pad of sticky notes at him.

"Shut up! So she's a little out of my league… but what am I, chopped liver or something?"

"No way!" He held up his hands in defense. "Come on. That's not what I meant! It's just… you know Cabot is…very hot." He licked his lips and whistled.

Olivia glared at him and he laughed. "I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Calm down. I'm not trying to hit on your woman. I'm just saying… _damn_."

"Nick, shut up while you still have teeth."

"Right. Shutting up." He was quiet for a few minutes before he looked back up. "I'm happy for you, Benson… seriously. I won't say anything."

"Thanks, Nick."

"No problem partner."

They fell back into their normal routine and Olivia had almost forgotten all about that morning's activities, until…

"Hey, who sent you the flowers, Olivia?" Amanda asked as she and Fin came back.

Before she could even get a word out, Munch was going on and on about the language of flowers, the meaning, and colors; something about them meaning _can't live without you_ and _longing for you_. That only seemed to fuel the fire and now Amanda wanted to gab like school girls about her new _boyfriend_. Fin was puffing his chest out and talking about meeting the guy so he could make sure he was 'legit' and good enough for his home-girl. All three conversations were going on at the same time and making Olivia dizzy.

Olivia looked over at her partner and gave him a wounded look. To his credit, Nick was trying his best not to laugh. And just like that, the overwhelming urge to bang her head against her desk was back in full effect.

"It's going to be a long day."

Nick laughed. "Oh, they're just getting started."

Luck seemed to be on Olivia Benson's side for a change. For the first time in what seemed like years, she'd completed all of her paperwork and was actually going to be able to leave work on time for a change. The first thing she did was call Alex as the attorney had requested. Genuinely happy to hear from her favorite detective, Alex had boldly asked if they could have dinner again. Olivia jumped at the chance, and offered to meet Alex at her apartment later.

Alex, however, had other plans. She had her secretary call Olivia to make a few bogus requests. If Olivia hadn't been so distracted by the thought of seeing Alex, she would have realized that she was being stalled. Love really did have a way of distracting a person.

Maggie, Alex's longtime dutiful secretary, managed to keep the detective occupied for nearly fifteen minutes without raising the brunette's suspicions. Maggie had definitely earned something special for her birthday this year.

Twenty minutes later, Olivia had ended the call and finally stepped out of the 1-6. She immediately grinned and shook her head at what she saw. There was a familiar black Mercedes sitting idly in front of the steps. The passenger window rolled down and Alex grinned.

"Need a lift, Detective?"

Olivia slipped inside, leaning over and kissing the blonde immediately. "Christ, Cabot. You're going to spoil me."

"Oh, we haven't even gotten to the good part yet, Detective."

Dinner turned out to be take-out from Alex's favorite Italian restaurant a few blocks away. They settled on the sofa afterwards and discussed the course of their day.

"So Nick found out I was the woman you were dating because my ringtone is _"Uptown Girl"_ courtesy of Detective Tutuola?"

Alex was lying back in Olivia's arms as they lay on the sofa. She was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. "And John now thinks that you're a pod person?"

Olivia laughed and wiped at her own tears. "He swears that you were a pod person when you came home from Witsec so…" She shrugged her shoulders. "… he said the government targeted me because of my connection to you. The man _really_ needs another wife. He has way too much time on his hands."

Alex thought she was going to hyperventilate. Olivia had her in stitches telling her about how her day had gone starting with the gang's weird reaction to her bringing them breakfast to their curiosity over the flower delivery from Olivia's apparent new mystery _man_."

Alex finally collected herself and took a deep breath. "And Fin wants to meet me to make sure that I'm 'legit' and good enough for his home-girl? Does that mean he's going to rough me up?"

That set her off into another fit of giggles. Olivia could only sit back and laugh along with her. It had been a long hellish day being under the watchful eyes of three nosy detectives, but this more than made up for it.

"It was a crazy day, but Nick was really cool about everything."

Alex turned her head and looked at her. "How is that going by the way… with having a new partner and all? We never really talked about Elliot leaving."

Olivia grew very quiet then shrugged her shoulders. "I understand why he needed to leave. If I had been the one who pulled that trigger, I don't know if I would have been able to strap on a gun again either. Shooter or not, she was still just a child. Taking the life of a kid does something to a person."

Alex nodded. "You and Elliot were partners a very long time. It must be quite the adjustment not having him with you every day."

Olivia sighed and nodded. "Yeah. I guess I'll always miss Elliot a little. It would be strange not to, but Nick's a solid guy. He's good at his job. He's trustworthy, easy-going and he knows that _I_ can do my job. We don't question each other and we have each other's back. I think that's why things are so easy with him. We don't have all the… baggage there between us."

"You mean he's not in love with you so the tension isn't there." Alex stated evenly.

Olivia was very quiet for a long moment. Leave it to Alex to cut right to the chase. "Do you really think he was?"

"I do." Alex smiled softly. "Although I can't really blame him for that, you _are_ very easy to love."

Olivia bit her lip and thought for a moment. Alex's eyes twinkled at the look of intense concentration. She thought it made the brunette look absolutely adorable. She had seen Olivia do it a thousand times. She wondered if the detective was even aware of it.

"You know, we never talked about it, but I guess it was always there. I know Kathy had issues with me in the very beginning before she got to know me. I never really understood why because I never saw Elliot that way. I guess she saw something that I didn't. Do you think it was obvious to anyone else?"

Alex sat up and turned to face her. She shrugged her shoulders. "There were times in the early days that I would look at you two and I would wonder if you were sleeping together." She saw Olivia about to speak but placed a hand on her arm calming her. "But I barely knew you then. I didn't understand how two people, especially a man and a woman, could be so close and **_not_** be together intimately. Then, I finally figured out that the closeness was because you were partners. You were responsible for each other's life every single day. If that doesn't bond two people together, nothing will. It also helped that the same thing happened with us. There were rumors about us too, you know?" Alex smiled.

"That was different. I loved you back." Olivia said without thinking.

Alex smiled softly and kissed her. "Have you heard from him?"

Olivia shook her head. A sad and wounded look crossed the detective's face and Alex suddenly felt the urge to drive over to Queens to kick Elliot Stabler's ass. '_Selfish bastard!'_

"Kathy calls me every couple of weeks. She emails me pictures of Eli and the twins, lets me know how they're all doing. She tries to invite me over for things, but it doesn't really feel right… not coming from him. You know what I mean?"

Alex nodded. "I'm sorry, Liv. I know he was like family to you."

"I guess we weren't as close as I thought, but its okay. Elliot will come around in his own time… or he won't. It's not my job to worry about him anymore." She leaned in trailing kisses along the blonde's neck. "You, on the other hand, are a different story. I've been thinking about being with you all day."

Olivia gently pushed Alex back until they were both lying on the sofa. Alex immediately opened her legs and welcomed the hard body against her own. Olivia took her time nibbling and peppered gentle kisses from the sensitive spot below Alex's ear down to her chest. Olivia grinned when she felt Alex arch into the sensations and firmly grip her hair.

"Liv…" Alex hissed.

Olivia felt her own pulse quicken and focus between her legs as she felt Alex slip a hand under her tee to meet skin. She had to take a deep breath and will herself to calm down; a few kisses and she was already close to losing it. Pulling back, she looked down at Alex. She saw her own arousal mirrored in now dark sapphire eyes.

"Delicious." Olivia breathed as she nipped at her earlobe causing the blonde to hiss and pull her closer. "You always smell… so good."

"Liv…" Alex moaned and pulled her closer.

Olivia ran her tongue along the exposed skin of Alex's button down shirt while her fingers cleverly worked open the buttons.

"Christ, Liv… I…" Alex's breaths were becoming fast and shallow as her hands clutched the strong shoulders above her. "Olivia, maybe we should uh…. maybe…."

Olivia's hand caressed the creamy well toned stomach now on display. "Maybe… what?"

Alex whimpered and shuttered as one of Olivia's roaming hands brushed an erect nipple through her silk bra.

"Liv… wait… wait… I'm… I'm supposed to be… courting you."

Olivia pulled back and stared at the gorgeous sight before her. Perfect ivory breast encased in black silk and lace. "Alex, that's really sweet, but fuck the courting. I want you."

Alex could only nod. "I want you..."

_'Bad Boys, Bad Boys, _

_whatcha gonna do_

_whatcha gonna do when they come for you._

_Bad Boys, Bad Boys…' _

The loud melodious song rang out into the air accompanied by the sound of buzzing caused by vibrations of the cell phone. Instantly, the mood was broken. Olivia groaned burying her face into Alex's neck. She suddenly felt extremely guilty about leaving so many guys high and dry over the years. _'Blue balls indeed'_

The attorney let out a breathless laugh. They both knew what the disruption meant.

Alex tugged gently at the detective's hair bringing her beautiful face out of hiding. She raised a brow. "Bad Boys, Olivia? _Really_?"

"Fucking Fin." She mumbled and rolled her eyes. "It's Nick's ringtone."

Alex quickly kissed pouty lips. "You have to answer that."

Olivia knew she'd never ignore her partner's call, but that didn't mean she couldn't pout about it. "I know. I know."

Leaning over, she snatched up the ringing phone with one hand while holding Alex in place with the other.

"Benson."

Alex continued to run her fingers through Olivia's hair as she watched the changing emotions move across the detective's face.

"Yeah. Okay. I got it. No, I'm actually close by. I'll just meet you there."

Olivia sighed and gave Alex an apologetic look that said it all. She was about to explain when Alex's fingers stilled her lips. "It's okay. I know you have to go."

Olivia was pouting again. "I want to stay with you."

Alex's heart melted and she couldn't stop herself from kissing the pouty lips again. "You are so adorable."

Olivia frowned as she got up. "And you're crazy."

Alex just smiled as she watched Olivia quickly gather her phone and jacket. It was interesting to watch the complete change in her demeanor. Gone was the woman who had been ravishing her on the sofa moments before. This was the serious, single-minded detective ready to face the cruel crime scene awaiting her.

Alex quickly picked up the phone and dialed the desk downstairs. "James, this is Alex Cabot on the top floor. I need you to have a cab waiting for Detective Benson. She's on her way down right now…. Thank you, James."

She hung up the phone to see Olivia watching her. "You didn't have to do that, but thank you."

Alex just shrugged her shoulders suddenly unsure what to do with her hands. Olivia pulled her close and kissed her so passionately, Alex swooned.

"I really hate to leave."

"I know."

"I'll call you later if it's not too late." Olivia said walking away.

A few moments passed before Alex suddenly stopped her at the front door. "Wait. Actually…" She reached into a drawer of the small table by the door. She pulled out a square electronic key and placed it in Olivia's hand.

"Actually, there was something I really needed to talk to you about tonight. You said it wasn't far so…" Alex rolled her eyes at her own nervousness. "Come back here tonight. It doesn't matter how late...please?"

Olivia watched her closely for a moment before she nodded. She kissed her one last time before slipping out the door.

Suddenly alone, Alex fell back against the door hoping what she had to tell Olivia wouldn't change what was now growing between them.

TBC...

Songs Mentioned:

"Bad Boys" by Inner Circle

"Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks again to all of you who have reviewed this story and given feedback. It is greatly appreciated. Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 7: Full Disclosure

"What do we have?" Olivia asked walking up to the scene. She found her partner, Nick Amaro, standing next to police barrier.

"Couple on an evening stroll found the body of a female jogger over in the bushes. You can probably guess what they were about to do over there before they stumbled on the body." Nick said lifting the yellow tape for her. "Vic's ID says she is Danielle Preston, age twenty-seven lived a few blocks from here on East 73rd."

Olivia slipped on a pair of gloves and moved closer to the body. "Signs of rape?"

"She was found with her clothes torn and pants pulled down."

Olivia stepped closer and got down to get a closer look at the victim. She shuttered. The victim looked so young and innocent. She had long dark hair with lifeless blue eyes. Olivia looked up as Melinda Warner approached.

"Hey Melinda, what's the story here?"

Dr. Melinda Warner stooped down next to Olivia and started giving her the rundown.

"Judging by her body temp and rigor, I'd say she's been dead for at least ten hours maybe longer. I can see wood chips in the skin here on her face and scalp. Whatever she was struck with was definitely wooden, a bat maybe. No bruising on the lower body, which is a little odd given the other injuries. She has ligature marks and deep bruising around her neck. I can't say for sure if it was the blow to the head or strangulation that caused her death until I get her back to my lab for a thorough examination." The doctor shook her head sadly. "Your perp really did a number on her."

"Thanks Melinda."

Olivia stood just as Nick was returning. He was trailed by Executive ADA Michael Cutter and they both had strange looks on their faces.

"Cutter? I'm a little surprised to see you here?"

"One of the officers on the scene recognized the victim and made a call. I was asked to come down."

"What do you mean… recognized her?"

"Danielle Preston is the daughter of Scott and Amelia Preston of Preston Enterprises."

Olivia blinked. "The huge cosmetics company?"

The EADA nodded. "The DA and the mayor want this case handled…. shall we say, delicately?"

Nick rubbed his face. "You mean quietly and quickly."

Cutter smirked. "Glad to see we have an understanding, Detective."

Olivia frowned. "Shouldn't Cabot be handling this case?"

An odd look crossed Cutter's face. He tried to hide it, but Olivia was very observant and trained to notice the things the average person typically overlooked. "Cabot is out sick. McCoy asked me to cover for her, so I will be handling this one."

An uneasy feeling pooled in the pit of Olivia's stomach. She had just left Alex less than an hour ago and she sure as hell hadn't been sick. Something was up. She just didn't know what… yet.

Nick and Olivia spent the next few hours canvassing the area and questioning the couple that had found their latest victim. It was nearly midnight when Nick yawned and started packing up his desk.

"Why don't we call it a night and pick this back up in the morning? There's nothing more we can do until we get something back from the ME anyway."

"Yeah. Maybe we can find out about her personal life when we meet with the parents tomorrow." Olivia said absently.

Nick eyed her for a moment. "Cutter said Cabot was sick. That was a little weird. Hope nothing's going around."

Olivia's eyes flicked to his but she said nothing. He stood and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and slipped it on. "Well, I'm getting out of here. You should too. Maybe you could go check on Cabot."

The squad room was unusually quiet as Olivia sat at her desk alone. She pulled the square electronic key out of her pocket and turned it over in her hand several times. Finally making up her mind, she stood, gathered her jacket and headed out.

Olivia made her way into the posh lobby of Alex's building. The security was fairly tight, definitely superior to most buildings. Every visitor had to sign in and out and be accounted for and there were camera's that appeared to cover every possible angle. Some might think it was all a bit much, but considering what Alex had gone through in the past, Olivia could certainly understand her need for heightened security. Olivia made her way over to the desk to sign in and saw the evening doorman. She immediately recognized him from the night before.

"Hello… James." She said glancing at his name tag.

"Ah, Detective Benson, we meet again." He smiled graciously even at the late hour. _'Even the doormen are classy in this place.'_ She thought to herself. She was rather impressed that he already knew who she was. He stopped her before she started signing in.

"Ms. Cabot requested that I give this to you, Detective. It's a permanent pass to the residential elevator. She said you should be given complete access from now on. There will be no need to sign in. We'll be able to keep track your comings and goings through the passkey."

Olivia was surprised at both the level of security and at the fact that Alex had given her complete access to her home. She would have to remember to talk to Alex about that. She took the passkey and added it to her keys as she bid James goodnight. She leaned back against the back of the elevator as she made the trip up to the top floor. That nervous feeling in her gut had returned. She needed to find out why Cutter had lied about Alex and what Alex knew about it.

Olivia hesitated for a moment when she reached Alex's door. It was after one in the morning. Surely Alex would be asleep by now. _'Maybe I shouldn't disturb her… But she did say to come back no matter how late.'_ Olivia thought. Finally making a decision, she slipped the key into the slot and watched the light flicker. A moment later, she could hear the locks release.

The apartment was dark and quiet as she had expected. She closed the large wooden door as quietly as possible and moved down through the living-room and into the large kitchen where she pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator. She leaned back against the counter while slowly sipping the cool water; taking a few minutes to collect her thoughts in the silence of the empty room.

"I'm glad you decided to come back. I wasn't sure if you would."

Olivia jumped slightly, turning to see Alex in the doorway. She slowly trailed her eyes down the long lean body on display before her. Alex was leaning casually in the doorway wearing a pair of blue boxers and a tiny crimson t-shirt with Harvard written across the chest. Her hair was pulled back in a loose pony-tail and she was wearing those familiar black framed glasses. The entire package was attached to a pair of gorgeous legs that went on for days and Olivia thought the overall look was magnificent. She took another long swallow of water before she spoke.

"I missed you… and _apparently_… I needed to check up on you."

"Check up on me?"

"Yeah." Olivia looked her dead in the eyes. "EADA Cutter showed up at the scene. He said you were _sick_."

Alex sighed and looked down at the floor. Olivia watched her for a moment waiting for an explanation.

"Olivia, we need to talk."

Olivia had heard those words before. She started mentally preparing herself for what she was sure to follow.

"Is this your way of telling me that you made a mistake and we can't see each other anymore or are you about to go off on another sabbatical in some foreign country? Either way, I'd rather do this quickly because I'm exhausted."

Alex seemed shocked by the coldness of Olivia's tone and a look of hurt flashed in her eyes. "Are you ever going to be able to forgive me for leaving, Liv?"

"That's not… Alex, just tell me what the hell is going on." Olivia tossed the empty water bottle in the trash with force. "What the hell am I supposed to think? I have Mike Cutter showing up at my crime scene saying that you're sick and that he's filling in when I know for a fact that you are anything _but_ sick but I can't say anything because…"

"Because no one knows about us." Alex finished. She looked at Olivia sadly. "That is what I wanted to discuss with you tonight, but we got _distracted_ then you got called away."

"Talk about what?" Olivia asked growing more frustrated.

"Olivia, where do you see this…" She gestured between them. "…us going?"

"Alex…"

"Because I already know what I want. I want to _be _with you. I want to build a _life _with you."

"You know I feel the same way, Alex. You know that I love you. We've had this discussion already. You're it for me."

"Good. That's why I can no longer work with you or the special victims unit."

"What? Why?!" Olivia was outraged.

Alex sighed and moved across the kitchen. She gave Olivia a soft kiss on the lips before taking her by the hand. "Come with me." When Olivia hesitated, Alex tugged on her hand again. "Please."

Olivia dutifully followed as Alex led them through the living room, up the stairs past several other rooms until they reached a set of double doors. Olivia looked around and realized they had entered Alex's bedroom. Alex pulled her over to the bed pushing her to sit on the edge. She sat down next to the detective and took her hand.

"Olivia, if we are going to make this work, we are going to have to disclose our relationship to the DA which means I can no longer work with you."

Olivia blinked trying to process what Alex was saying. "I get the disclosure. I've been down this road but why can't you continue to work with the unit?"

"All it would take is one sleazy defense attorney to accuse you of falsifying evidence or giving false testimony to strengthen your _girlfriend's_ case. It would only take one judge to give the claim merit then every case we've ever worked on together would be called into question. SVU would be bombarded with appeals from every sick bastard we've ever put away."

"You can't be sure that will happen."

"Even if we were lucky and it didn't, I would never be able to call you as a witness or allow you to execute a search warrant for me or anything else. Not to mention, you would become a walking target for IAB. I could never put you in that position."

Everything began to become clearer to Olivia. "That's why you called Cutter tonight."

"I knew when you left that I would probably get a call, but I didn't think it would be so soon. I thought I'd have at least until tomorrow before I would need to be directly involved. I thought I would have time to talk to you first but…"

"But our vic turned out to be high profile which changed the game." Olivia finished.

Alex nodded. "When they called me tonight, I knew I could not be involved in this case in any way because of my relationship with you. I called Cutter and told him I had reason to believe there would be a conflict of interest and that I would discuss it with the DA tomorrow. He said he'd handle it. As of right now, I'm out _sick_ until further notice."

"So… what does all this mean for you if we disclose?"

Alex shrugged. "If you're in agreement, I will inform McCoy of the change in our relationship and ask for reassignment. It's really up to him where he puts me or if he puts me anywhere at all."

Olivia's eyes widened and she stood. Alex watched her start to pace in agitation. "You mean you could lose your job?! He can't do that… can he?"

Alex smiled sadly and shrugged her shoulders again. "Not on those grounds, but you and I both know there is a pecking order in the DA's office. Jack McCoy is the District Attorney. If he wants me gone, there are ways he can make that happen."

"But that's not right. That's bullshit!"

Alex stepped into Olivia's path stopping her pacing. She grabbed her hands and pulled her back to the bed. "Calm down. We haven't even come to that yet. That's the worst case scenario. I really doubt that he'll ask me to resign. McCoy and I don't always see eye to eye but he's not a complete idiot. He knows I'm one of the best prosecutors in the city. My guess is he'll send me back to Appeals until he figures out what he wants to do with me."

Olivia frowned. "You hated Appeals."

Alex chuckled. "Yeah, I _really_ did."

"I could ask for a transfer." Olivia said after a long moment of silence. "I could go back to Computer Crimes, that way you could stay with SVU and..."

Alex shook her head immediately. "Absolutely not. That deal is not on the table, Detective."

"Why not? You're willing to give up your job for me."

"Because SVU is not just a job to you, Liv. It's a part of who you are… a part I happen to love very much." Alex turned and cupped Olivia's face. "SVU is what you're meant to do. It's your calling, sweetheart."

"But what about you?" Olivia asked sounding almost like a wounded child.

"My calling is the law. I can practice that anywhere…" She smirked. "… even in the _bowels_ of Appeals court. Besides, if he asks me to resign I can always join Serena's firm. She's been asking me to for years or I can do _pro bono_ work for the Cabot Foundation." She grinned wryly. "I'm almost positive I can get a job there."

Olivia sighed and flopped back on the bed. She stared up at the elaborate molding of the high ceiling. She pulled Alex down to lie against her chest. "Are you sure this is what you really want? There's no going back after this."

"I can live with a new job, Olivia. I can't live without you… not anymore. The question is, is this what _you_ really want?"

"If you want to tell the world that you love me and that you belong to me, who am I to argue, Counselor?"

"Good." Alex squeezed her around the waist and kissed her neck. "Because you're mine." With one final kiss, Alex sat up. "And you're also exhausted, Detective. Get out of those clothes and let's get some sleep."

Olivia smirked. "You're trying to get me out of my clothes already? What happened to all that courting business?"

Alex ignored her and crossed the room to a spacious walk-in closet. She came back and tossed a clean NYPD t-shirt and a new pair of boxers on the bed.

Olivia raised a brow at the shirt. "This looks very familiar."

Alex blushed. "Yeah. I _might_ have borrowed that from you a few years ago when I stayed over."

"Borrowed usually means you give it back." Olivia fingered the shirt. "I wondered where this went off to and you've had it all this time."

"It's my favorite so don't get any ideas about getting it back, Detective."

Olivia shook her head and laughed. "Anybody ever tell you that you're bossy?"

"Of course not. I'm Alexandra Cabot. No one says things to my face; everyone except you that is." She said with a laugh. She pointed over her shoulder. "The shower is just through there."

"Is that your way of saying I stink, Counselor?"

"No. You always smell absolutely divine."

Olivia snorted. "You're delusional."

"But you've been at a crime scene for hours. If I recall correctly, you always feel the need to shower at the end of the night when you've seen that."

Olivia smiled softly. That was something she had mentioned years ago when Alex once asked how she dealt with seeing such brutality. "You remembered?"

Alex just shrugged shyly and pushed her off into the bathroom. "I have a good memory when it comes to you."

Fifteen minutes later, a freshly scrubbed Olivia flicked off the side lamp and slipped into bed next to Alex. Alex turned over and snuggled into her arms. Olivia placed a kiss on her forehead. This was heaven.

"Goodnight Sweetheart."

"Sweet Dreams, Detective."

It would be a while before Olivia fell into a restful sleep. Although she and Alex had decided on moving forward together, she was still worried about what tomorrow would bring and how it would affect their new relationship.

TBC...


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thanks for reading my little story. I hope you still like it. Here's the next chapter. I just wanted to move things along. Let me know what you think.

* * *

Chapter 8: W.T. F

Waking up with Alexandra Cabot wasn't exactly how Olivia had imagined it. In her dreams, she and Alex were always snuggling and sharing passionate kisses. Of course all of this would have occurred after a night of unbelievable lovemaking. The reality was a stark contrast to the fantasy. She hadn't awakened to a passionate make-out session nor had there been any sex to speak of. They had fallen asleep wrapped in each other's arms and slept peacefully through the night.

As the sun drifted into the dark room, Olivia couldn't help but think that this wasn't your typical morning after, but also it occurred to her that nothing about them was typical. Here she was, lying in bed holding the woman she had loved and lusted after for more than a decade and she hadn't even made a move on her. The thought nearly made Olivia laugh. It wasn't like she didn't want to make love with Alex. Of course she did. Who wouldn't want to make love to this woman? Alex was stunningly beautiful and incredibly sexy. Olivia wanted nothing more than to worship at the altar of this woman's body, but the time hadn't been right. For the first time in her life, she didn't feel the need to rush. She figured they would get there soon enough. She was just going to enjoy the journey until the right moment arrived.

Olivia couldn't help but smile as she watched Alex sleep. The blonde looked so young and peaceful…almost angelic. Olivia knew she needed to leave but didn't have the heart to wake the other woman. Placing a loving kiss to her love's forehead she carefully removed herself from Alex's grasp and slipped out of bed. After dressing, she wrote a quick message on a note and left it on the nightstand on Alex's side. Olivia literally ached to crawl back into bed into those loving arms but she knew that she had to talk to Cragen about her relationship with Alex before he got the news from someone else. She owed him that much.

When she walked into the squad-room, she found it empty as expected. The only sign of life was the slightly out of tune humming coming from the captain's office. She snorted back a laugh at the unusual behavior. She headed to her locker and found the bag of clean clothes and toiletries she kept there. She went to the locker room and quickly freshened up and changed. When she came out, the squad room was still empty and silent. Taking a deep breath, she went over to the captain's open door. She knocked lightly not wanting to startle the older man.

"Olivia? You're here early. Getting a jump start on the Preston case?"

"Uh… yeah. Nick and I are going to sit down with the parents today, but…" She hesitated for a moment trying to gather her wits. "There was actually something that I needed to talk with you about… in private."

Cragen immediately gave her his complete attention. Olivia didn't come to him often and when she did, it was usually serious. "Is there something wrong, Detective?"

"No sir… at least I don't think so." She nervously scratched the back of her neck.

"Alright. Come in and have a seat." He said gesturing to an empty chair. He moved around the desk and took a seat as well. He raised a brow noticing how nervous she seemed to be.

"I have something to tell you and I wanted you to hear it from me first."

"You've never been one to mince words. What's going on, Liv?"

She swallowed hard trying to hold the sudden nausea at bay. She had thrown up twice already on the way over. The last thing she wanted to do was toss her cookies all over the captain's desk. Taking a deep breath she decided to take the professional approach.

"As my superior officer, it is my duty to disclose that I am involved in a romantic relationship with Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot. Alex will be speaking with the District Attorney later today. She has made the decision to no longer work with SVU and will be requesting a reassignment. I'm sure you will be notified, but I wanted you to hear it from me first."

Cragen sighed heavily. "Damn it, Liv! How could you do this?"

Olivia's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Cragen to be overjoyed their relationship, but she didn't expect him to actually have a problem with it either.

Her posture tightened. "I will _not_ apologize for this, Captain. Our relationship did not change until Alex recently returned from her leave of absence. We have done nothing inappropriate."

Cragen shook his head and waved his hand. "Of course you haven't. I'm just not excited about getting some new wet-behind-the-ears ADA to train. I finally had Cabot back in top form and I was still looking forward to seeing her 'knock someone's teeth down their throat'. Now you've gone and ruined it."

The look on Olivia's face was so priceless that he couldn't hold his poker face. He laughed out loud and she began to catch on. She let out a sigh of relief.

"You almost had me going there, Cap." She said with a smile.

He took a good look at her in that moment and instantly saw the difference. Her eyes were little brighter, laugh a little more genuine. He'd always had his suspicions about Olivia and Alex. They were always professional, but there was always _something_ more there. He was actually glad his suspicions were finally confirmed. This was the old Olivia; the Olivia he remembered before Alex had been torn away from them. She looked… happy and if anyone deserved happiness it was Olivia Benson.

"Don't get me wrong, I am _really_ not happy about losing the best ADA I've ever worked with, but…" He cleared his throat and looked her in the eyes. "You deserve to be happy Olivia and if Alex does that for you, I'm all for it. I hope it works out for the both of you."

"Thanks Cap. That means a lot."

"Is there anything else, Detective?"

"No sir," She said standing up.

"Well get out of here and get to work. These cases aren't going to solve themselves."

"Yes sir." She hid her smile as she closed the door. _'That went better than I thought.'_ She said to herself. Now she just hoped that Alex would have the same luck.

* * *

Alex had woken up to a loving note from Olivia explaining that she had to go in early to speak with Captain Cragen and that she would call her later. She smiled as she read the last words of the note over and over again. _"I love you, Alexandra"_ it read. She had taken the note with her for support as she entered into the office of the District Attorney. She didn't need to read it. Just the feel of it in the palm of her hand gave her the strength she needed.

"Are you sure this is… something permanent, Alexandra? This could have serious political ramifications for you. You have to know that. Is this… _relationship_ worth jeopardizing that?"

Alex leaned back and watched Jack McCoy carefully. She squeezed the tiny note in her hand as she gave him a steel gaze.

"Not that it is any of your business, but yes. My relationship with Detective Benson is permanent and I will not deny her. As for the political ramifications you speak of… I refuse to live my life based on what is considered to be politically acceptable to others. I am good at my job, Jack. It should not matter who shares my bed at night."

Jack felt the intensity of her words and nodded like a proud father. He and Alex had often found themselves on opposing sides on various topics, but he'd always admired the young woman's tenacity and unwavering ethics. She was one of the good ones and he saw parts of his younger untainted self in her. He knew he owed it to Alex to make sure that she was absolutely sure she knew what she was doing.

"I remember a time when you said _nothing_ was worth sacrificing your path to this office. That kind of ambition doesn't just go away, Alexandra."

Alex smirked and shook her head. She knew she was never going to live down her old reputation. She had been a slave to her ambitions back then. She couldn't help thinking how much she had changed; how much Olivia had changed her.

She looked at him thoughtfully. "True, but that was before I sacrificed five years of my life to Witsec for those ambitions, and even more years with the woman I love because of my own foolishness. I'm not the same person I used to be, Jack. My priorities have changed."

"Just like that? You're giving it all up?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Who said I was giving anything up? Why should I have to?" Alex threw back at him. "I can still achieve all the goals I set for myself when I left law school. It's simply a matter of deciding _if_ it's what I want to do. I just refuse to believe that I have to sacrifice my happiness to reach those goals."

"So I can't persuade you to reconsider?"

Alex glanced down at the note in her hand and smiled. She looked him in the eyes and shook her head. "Olivia deserves to be put first for a change. I won't sacrifice her for this office or my ambitions. If you want me to resign, I completely understand."

Jack gave her a long look before pulling out a file. He checked its contents before pushing it towards her. "You leave me no choice then, Alexandra."

Alex had to admit that she was a bit surprised. She hadn't really expected McCoy to let her leave, but she was prepared. She had already drafted a resignation letter. It was saved to her computer and simply waiting to be printed. She took the folder expecting to see the regular forms regarding severance pay and insurance. When she flipped through them, she became confused.

"Jack, what is this?"

"David Haden will be leaving at the end of the month to work for the Department of Justice. I'm going to need a new Executive ADA in Major Cases. The job is yours if you want it."

Alex blinked and was currently doing a good impression of a fish out of water. Jack was actually amused. He thought he would never see the day that the linguistically talented Alexandra Cabot would be rendered speechless.

"Um… you…you don't want me to resign?"

"No."

"You're offering me a job… a promotion?"

"Yes."

"What's the catch?"

He almost laughed. "There is no catch. You're the best prosecutor that I have, Alexandra. I'd be a fool to let you leave this office. Contrary to what many might believe, I am no fool. I was actually going to approach you this week about the possibility of you taking over the position at the end of the month."

"But… Major Cases? That's only a step away from…"

"Exactly." Jack said knowingly. "Alexandra, everyone already knows that you were wasting away in SVU." He held up his hand to stop her disagreement. He knew how she protective she was of that unit. "I'm not saying anything negative about SVU. God knows it's the toughest unit to work in and you pulled off miracles with some of those cases. You could have demanded a more high profile position years ago. You stayed because you were dedicated to the victims and those detectives. You stayed because you knew you were needed there. Not many prosecutors with your talent and record would have. You've put in the work, Alexandra. It's time to move on. And let's face it, when I leave this chair you're the next best thing."

"But you just said…"

"I had to be sure that you were serious about this relationship. That doesn't mean I think you can't become District Attorney someday should you decide that's what you want. The voters of New York are much more progressive than they used to be. You're brilliant, driven, and ethical, with an impeccable pedigree to back it all up. Hell, if you manage to marry the _'Angel of SVU'_, you'll be the complete package."

Alex was still having a difficult time following.

"I will file the papers regarding your disclosure. I'm sure Internal Affairs will be contacting both you and Detective Benson but only as a precaution. You disclosed immediately and never worked on any cases together while being romantically involved. It won't be an issue but we want to make sure everything is handled strictly by the book."

He stood and came around the desk to give Alex a firm handshake.

"I will expect your decision in writing by the end of the week, Alexandra." He said walking her out.

And just like that, the meeting was over and Alex found herself standing out in the external office alone. _"What the fuck just happened?" _ She thought to herself as she left.

* * *

TBC...


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Women!

Alex stepped off the elevator and walked into the 1-6 like she had a thousand times before. It saddened her to know that she wouldn't be working with this unit anymore. She had so many memories of this place, both good and bad.

"The lovely Miss. Cabot is here." John said with a smile.

The other detectives looked at him strangely until seconds later the one and only Alexandra Cabot came around the corner in the flesh. Fin watched Alex walking in their direction then frowned at John.

"How'd you do that?"

"It's the heels." Amanda said without looking up.

"So what? Women wearing heels walk in here all the time. How'd you know for sure it was Cabot?" Nick joined in.

"Because Alexandra Cabot does not _walk_ like any other woman in heels."

"And exactly how do I walk, Detective?" Alex asked with that familiar smirk on her face. She spared a quick glance towards Olivia's desk, finding it empty.

"In my dreams, Counselor, in my fondest dreams." John said with a hand over his heart.

A chorus of groans erupted as several paper balls were tossed his way. Alex shook her head at the detective's antics and smiled. She was really going to miss her detectives. Yes, that's how she saw them…they would always be _her_ detectives.

"I haven't seen you guys in a while so I came to check up on you; make sure you haven't gotten into any mischief in my absence. I also heard you've been slammed all day so I brought dinner." She placed several Smith & Wollensky take-out bags on a nearby desk. "I can't have New York's finest operating on empty stomachs."

She quickly made her way over to Olivia's still vacant desk as the other detectives pounced on the food. She smiled as she saw the object of her affections returning from the restroom. Her smile was instantly replaced by a look of concern when she saw Olivia's face. The detective's usually healthy glow was looking unusually pale.

"Hey. Are you alright?" Alex asked in a low voice as Olivia came close.

"Yeah. I'm just a little queasy; too much nervous energy and bad coffee I think." Olivia said brushing off the concern as she took a seat at her desk. She tossed the tiny travel toothbrush into the trash and started looking through her desk drawers until she found a bag of mints.

Alex watched her closely as she took a seat in her usual spot, which just happened to be the edge of Olivia's desk. She was pleased to see some of the color returning to the detective's usually tanned skin.

Olivia leaned back in her chair and enjoyed the incredible view of endless legs now on display. Dark eyes started at the tip of one Christian Louboutin spiked heel then made the journey all the way up to the slender thighs barely hidden by the dark pencil skirt. Her eyes continued north taking in the curvaceous swell of breast underneath a soft silk midnight blue blouse. The delicate clearing of a throat made her snap her eyes up only to meet amused blue eyes twinkling behind thin black frames. Alex gave her a knowing smirk. Olivia flushed knowing she was busted but she didn't really care. Olivia had seen the appreciative glances that Alex got every time she walked into the squad room. Today wasn't any different. She had once witnessed a beat cop trip and fall face first while watching the ADA pass by. So who could really blame her for admiring what was clearly perfection. Alex was stunning… and she was hers.

"Aren't you hungry, Detective?" She asked in a low sultry voice.

Olivia shifted slightly and returned the smoldering look. "You have no idea, Counselor."

"Cabot, you're a goddess! I'm starving." Nick said taking the container with his name on it.

Fin grabbed his portion and kicked back in his chair. "Thanks Alex. We've missed you around here. How was the Congo?"

Alex pulled her attention away from the intense brown eyes of her love. She gave Fin a sad look. "Pray for them."

Fin nodded in understanding then tore into his food.

Olivia moved slightly closer to her trying not to draw attention to them. "You ready for this?"

Alex nodded. "I'm all in, Detective."

Olivia gave her brilliant smile. "Me too."

She cleared her throat and turned back to the detectives. "Guys… actually there was another reason for my visit today."

Nick glanced over to his partner and met her eyes. Olivia nodded slightly.

"What's up?" Fin asked.

"I'm being transferred from SVU. I'll be moving over to Major Cases at the end of the month… as the new EADA. I wanted to give you the news myself."

There was complete silence for a moment before Fin grinned and started clapping. The others soon joined in with more clapping and whistling.

"Way to go, Teflon." John said pulling her into a hug.

"Congratulations, sweetheart. I hate to see you go, but you deserve it." Fin said giving her his own gentle hug. She found herself tearing up. It was always something about Fin's soft side that got to her. He was the only guy she allowed to call her sweetheart.

The other detectives followed suit and soon she had received well wishes from nearly every cop in the place. The sight warmed Olivia's heart. She was glad Alex had the chance to see how much she was loved by the 1-6.

Alex waited until everything had calmed down and it was only the six of them again before continuing. "Guys there is still one more thing _we_ wanted to tell you."

"We? What? Don't tell us you've finally fallen for Munch's charms and is about to become his next wife?" Amanda said causing the others to laugh. "What is that… like number five?"

Before Munch could defend himself, Alex jumped in. "Actually…." She moved behind a still seated Olivia and placed her hands on the detective's shoulders. "It's Detective Benson's charms and I'm not sure about the wife bit yet. It's only been a few days. Besides, I'm sure she'd take issue with the _obey_ section of the vows, but I am working on it."

As if reading her mind, Olivia tilted her head back as Alex was leaning down meeting in tender kiss on the lips. Alex stood back up wearing a smug grin while Olivia was blushing slightly.

They both looked up and saw all four detectives with their mouths open in shock. There was a long stretch of silence to follow.

"Damn it!" Munch cursed suddenly as he took out several twenties and placed them in Fin's outstretched hand.

Fin continued to grin as Amanda and Nick all forked over their share as well. Alex and Olivia both knew what that meant. There was always a bet going on in the 1-6. They just never knew _they_ were the actual bet.

"You guys bet on us." Olivia said more as a statement than a question.

They all shrugged sheepishly. Alex didn't seem to mind. As a matter of fact, she seemed rather amused.

"What were the terms?" Alex asked.

"I said Christmas." Nick admitted.

Olivia looked at him in surprise. He hadn't let on that he had any suspicions about them during any of their talks.

"I said that you were already secretly seeing one another." Amanda added. She shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry, but you two argue like an old married couple."

Alex laughed and had to partially agree. She raised a brow at Munch and Fin. "What about you two?"

"I was clueless. I didn't see it. Some detective I am." Munch said sadly. "Shut it Fin?!" He said before Fin could add his two cents.

Fin was smiling and counting out his money. "I bet that you'd hook up as soon as Cabot got home. It was this time around or never." He smiled and handed the money over to Olivia. "Here you go, Liv."

Olivia's eyes widened with confusion as she took the stack of bills. It had to be at least two hundred dollars there. "You're giving me your entire winnings?"

"We all agreed that we'd give the money to Olivia no matter who won." Amanda said to Alex.

"Yeah. We figured Liv would need all the help she could get if she actually managed pull a dame like you." Nick added with a laugh. He dodged the sticky note pad Olivia threw at him. Alex laughed.

"Anybody want to tell me why none of my detectives are working while we have a high-profile case on our hands?"

The detectives mumbled and quickly dispersed. Cragen then saw Alex standing behind Olivia. He didn't smile but there was a softness in his eyes that always appeared when Alex was around. Olivia suspected that the grumpy older man had a secret crush on the blonde.

"I hear congratulations are in order, Counselor. Major Cases is very lucky to have you."

"Thank you, Don. And on that note, I'm going to go and allow you all to get back to work." She looked down at Olivia and winked. "You'll call me later?"

Olivia nodded. "Of course."

"And try to eat something. You still look a little pale. I don't want you getting sick." Alex said with part authority and part concern causing Olivia to blush.

The other detective's hid their grins as they watched their seasoned lead detective taking orders from her girlfriend. Olivia could have sworn she heard someone making a whipping noise, but she chose to ignore it. Alex gave her a quick wave over the shoulder as she strode away. Olivia watched her until she disappeared behind the squad room door. When she turned around, she had four sets of amused eyes on her. She groaned internally knowing the constant teasing was about to begin. _'Here we go.'_

"So, I guess we all know who's wearing the pants in this relationship." Munch said.

"And why Benson has been glowing like a damn nightlight lately." Fin laughed.

"So tell us, Liv. Is our luscious Miss Cabot as thorough and intense in _every_ capacity?" Munch asked wiggling his eyebrows.

"You know Alex would have you by the balls if she knew you referred to her as anything _luscious_." Amanda said. "And I'm betting Olivia feels the same."

Munch turned and saw the deadly glare Olivia was throwing his way. She coughed and loosened his tie. "Women! No sense of humor at all."

TBC...

* * *

A/N: I know this chapter is shorter than the others, but I wanted to get this out of the way to get to the good parts. Thank you so much for reviewing. The feedback helps.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thanks to you who are still reading and reviewing. I've enjoyed hearing from you.

* * *

Chapter 10: No Fantasy

"So where are we on the Preston case? I have the DA and the mayor ready to take a huge chunk out of my ass if we don't solve this one soon." Cragen said.

Olivia stood and went through the evidence. She placed several photos on the board. "Danielle Preston, age twenty-seven, only child of Scott and Amelia Preston, CEO and COO of Preston Enterprises. Both parents and the victim would be considered model citizens, not so much as a parking ticket between any of them. The ME gave the time of death between the hours of four and eight am. That path in Central Park is usually pretty busy so, someone had to have seen or heard something."

"What did you get from the Prestons?"

"Not much. They seemed genuinely shocked by the whole thing." Nick added. "Apparently Danielle was a bit of a workaholic. She was completing her surgical residency over at Bellevue. Parents said she didn't have time for much of a social life because her hours at the hospital were so unpredictable."

Olivia looked at the photo of the victim and shook her head. "I don't know. A pretty girl like this… I'm having a hard time believing she had no social life at all."

Cragen nodded. "Head over to the hospital and ask around. Maybe her coworkers can give us a little more insight into our vic."

* * *

Bellevue Hospital

They had found out that Danielle worked in the ICU unit of the Trauma Center. When they entered, it was relatively quiet and somewhat idle. She approached the nurse's station and pulled out her badge.

"Excuse me. I'm Detective Benson. This is my partner, Detective Amaro. We need to ask some questions regarding a doctor that works here, Dr. Danielle Preston."

The male nurse looked down at the clipboard. "Sorry, don't know her. I'm still kind of new around here. I'm not really familiar with everyone yet."

"How about you call her supervisor? That would be helpful."

"Umm… sure. Let me see. I'll call Dr. Livingston. I think she's on call today."

Olivia and Nick waited in a small waiting area while the nurse made a few calls. Olivia closed her eyes and swallowed slowly as a wave of nausea hit her. Nick watched her closely.

"You okay, Liv? You've been looking a little green around the gills the last couple of days."

"Yeah. Just a headache. It's no big deal. I'm sure it's just a bug going around."

They both turned as an extremely attractive woman approached them. She was tall and slender with long black hair, olive skin and hazel eyes. She gave them a warm dimpled smile. Olivia saw her partner nearly drool. She elbowed him in the gut as she stood.

"Dr. Livingston?"

The woman flashed a warm smile until she saw their badges. She nervously offered her hand. "Yes, but you can call me Avery. What can I do for you?"

"We'd like to ask you some questions about Dr. Danielle Preston. Are you her supervisor?"

"Uhh… no. Why? Is there something wrong with Danny?" She asked worriedly.

"Danny?"

"Yes. That's what I always call her. She doesn't like me to call her Danielle."

"May I ask how well you know Danielle Preston?"

"Danny is my fiancé." She woman swallowed hard. "What is this about? Where is Danny?"

Olivia hated this part. "Umm…. Is there some place we can speak more privately?"

* * *

Captain Cragen, Nick, and Olivia all looked through the one way glass where Dr. Avery Livingston was sitting. Olivia had sat with her and explained to the grieving doctor what had happened to Danielle Preston. It looked as though the young woman was hanging on by a thread.

"So how is it that Danielle Preston was engaged to this woman and no one knew about it?" Cragen asked.

"That's what I'm about to find out." Olivia said walking into the interrogation room.

She placed a bottle of water next to the woman. "Thank you for coming down to speak with us, Avery. Anything you can tell us might be helpful."

The woman nodded. "I just want to know who did this to her."

"When did you last see Danielle?"

"It was morning before last… Thursday. She was getting ready for her run." The young woman smiled at the memory for just a moment. "I was teasing her about that ridiculous watch she always wore."

"Her watch?" Olivia asked knowing there wasn't a watch among the items found on the body.

"Yeah. It was this really expensive lime green athletic watch. It would keep track time, pulse, distance…you name it. She rarely took that thing off. She had borrowed some of my workout clothes that morning. I laughed and told her that people would probably think she was me if it weren't for that ugly watch."

Olivia offered her a soft smile.

"And you didn't talk to Danielle after that?"

"No. We've been on opposite shifts for the last couple of weeks so I only got to see her for about an hour in the mornings before I would head off to the hospital. We would usually see one another at the hospital throughout the day but there was a huge car pileup yesterday so we were slammed. I spent most of the day dealing with back to back surgeries. I just figured she was home asleep. To think that all that time, she was…" She started to cry again.

Olivia handed the young woman a tissue and waited until she was able to compose herself.

"Did Danielle normally go jogging in the park at that time?"

Avery nodded. "Yes. We both did. Our hours at the hospital are usually kind of crazy, but Danny would always jog the same path at the same time every free morning she had."

"Did you two live together?"

"No, she still had her own place. She had a fancy penthouse uptown on the East Side but most of the time she stayed with me." The woman shrugged her shoulders and wiped a tear away. "Danny said she never felt comfortable there."

"How long had you two been together?"

"Nearly six years. We met while at Princeton. I was a senior when she came in as a new freshman. I was assigned to be her tutor. We got to know one another then as time went by we became more than friends. We've been together ever since. Danny asked me to marry her about six months ago. We were planning to get married later this year."

"When we spoke with Danielle's parents, they said that she wasn't dating anyone. Do you know why they would say that since you two were engaged?"

Avery gave a harsh laugh. "That's not a surprise. Danny didn't really fit into the picture perfect family they tried to project to the world and they sure as hell didn't accept me."

Olivia raised a brow. "Why do you say that?"

"They hated everything about me. I didn't come from Danny's world. Danny was born with a platinum spoon in her mouth. I came from a regular working class family. Danny didn't have to work a day in her life if she didn't want to." She smiled sadly. "But that's what made Danny special. She worked her ass off at Princeton just like the rest of us. She couldn't have cared less about her family's money. She just wanted to be a doctor. You'd think that would have made her parents proud, but not those snobs."

"So, you'd say that Danny had some serious issues with her parents?"

Avery shrugged her shoulders. "Let's just say that they really didn't approve of _any_ of Danny's life choices. They thought she should have been a young socialite, but Danny wasn't just a pretty face. When she told them that she was going to marry me and live openly, they went ballistic. Danny said she didn't care. There wasn't much they could do to her. The only time they got along was strictly for show… for the cameras."

"If Danielle felt such animosity for her parents, why would she bother to associate with them… even if it was for the cameras?"

"Because Danny wanted to protect the image of her grandmother's company."

Olivia raised a brow. "Preston Enterprises? I thought the company belonged to her parents."

Avery frowned and shook her head. "That's what most people thought. It's certainly what her parents, especially her father, wanted the public to believe. Danny told me that the company was started by her father's mother, Diane Preston. She still had the controlling interest in the company when she died years ago. Danny said that her grandmother and her father never got along. So, when her grandmother died she left it all to Danny."

"Are you telling me that Danielle was the owner of Preston Enterprises?"

Avery nodded. "Basically… yeah, but Danny was just a kid when her grandmother died, so her mother and father ran the company. When Danny turned twenty-five, she inherited everything. She just allowed her parents to keep the positions in name only. The board pretty much ran the company for her."

Olivia looked up and stared at the one way mirror knowing that her partner and Cragen were looking back at her. Her mind started working a mile a minute.

"Avery, do you know if Danielle was having any problems with anyone or if there was a reason why someone might want to see her hurt?" Olivia reached over and touched her hand gently. "I know this is difficult but if you can remember anything, it might be helpful."

Avery thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I just don't know who would do this."

Olivia came out of the room and joined Cragen and Nick by the window.

"The hospital confirmed that Avery was in surgery at the time of the murder." Nick said. "She's clean."

"That's not a surprise. That poor woman is devastated." Olivia said shaking her head. "But the information she gave about the Prestons is definitely worth a second look, don't you think?"

Cragen nodded. "Check them out. See if they're hiding anything."

* * *

A week later, Olivia and Nick were still at square one and the Preston case had gone cold. Unfortunately it looked like this was going to be just another unsolved random attack in the park. With no other likely suspects in sight, they were just spinning their wheels.

Nick leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. "We've gone over these files a hundred times already and we still got nothing, Liv. If you got any ideas, I'm listening."

Olivia shook her head. "I don't know why but I just got a bad vibe from the parents."

Nick looked at her skeptically. "I don't know, Olivia. I know people can be ruthless, but to have your own kid attacked and raped?"

"Melinda said the test came back negative for any fluids. There were no signs consistent with rape."

Nick shrugged. "So the perp used a condom. We've seen it before."

"Yeah, but how many rapes have you seen where the vic had no bruising in the genital area at all? Melinda said that there was skin tissue found under the vic's nails and she had scratches and bruises on her hands and upper arms. That means she was fighting back. So why no bruising on the thighs or lower body?"

"Maybe the vic was unconscious by then?"

"Or maybe someone wanted this murder to _look_ like a rape. I think if we can figure out why… that will lead us to who."

"Maybe but we aren't going to figure it out tonight. So, I'm heading home to skype with the wife and get some sleep." He stood and grabbed his jacket. "You should too. We can take another crack at it in the morning with fresh eyes. You need a ride?"

"Nah. I think I'm going to go over this one more time."

Nick nodded and slipped his jacket on. "Alright partner. Just don't stay too late. This will still be here in the morning."

Olivia waved and went back to her files. Something about this case just didn't sit right with her. There were just too many things not adding up. The sound of her desk phone ringing made her blink awake. She quickly checked her watch. She'd nodded off to sleep and over an hour had lapsed. This case had exhausted her. It was definitely time to request for a weekend off.

"Benson. SVU."

"Hey."

Olivia smiled feeling sudden warmth in her stomach. "Hey you."

"I was really hoping that I wouldn't find you at your desk this late, but I can see that old habits die hard." Alex said in a chastising tone. "I take it there are still no real leads in your case?"

"That would be the understatement of the year. All we have at the moment are hunches."

"Well, if I recall correctly, your hunches were almost always dead on. Don't worry, babe. You'll get them."

"Your confidence is really appreciated, Counselor, although slightly biased."

Alex laughed. Olivia closed her eyes and tried to picture the beautiful smile that was attached to that laugh. It had been a long and hectic week for both of them. Olivia had been practically living in the squad room because of the Preston case and Alex had been busy wrapping up the loose ends of her open cases and transferring them to the temporary ADA. Quick phone calls and flirtatious text messages had been their only communication.

"I came by earlier. I thought I might be able to catch you for lunch, but Nick said you were out."

"I know. I really hate that I missed you. I went to see Avery."

"Avery Livingston… the doctor from your case?"

"Yeah." Olivia sighed. "She's been having a pretty rough time. Danielle Preston's funeral was today. Avery wasn't allowed to attend."

"Oh, that's horrible."

"I know. It was bad enough that she wasn't even properly notified that her fiancé had been murdered, but to be banned from her funeral just wasn't right. I was able to pull a few strings with the funeral director and I got her in so she could at least have some time alone with Danielle to say goodbye. She deserved that much."

"Although I hate the idea of you doing anything that might get you into trouble, I can understand you wanting to help her. I couldn't imagine if…" Alex hesitated not wanting to even think about something bad happening to Olivia. "I just couldn't imagine."

"I know me either." She was quiet for a moment. "Someone would contact you, Alex. You should know that."

Olivia had already changed her personal information on file. If something were to happen to her on the job, Alex would get the first call.

"And you should know that you would have nothing to worry about." Alex said softly, meaning every word.

Alex had no doubt that should something happen to her, her aunt and uncle would honor Olivia's place in her life but she wasn't so sure about some of her extended family. Money had a way of complicating things. If this relationship was going to be as serious as Alex hoped, she was going to have to sit Olivia down and have a serious talk about her finances and all that it entailed. Olivia had a right to know what she was really getting into.

"God, I miss you." Olivia whispered.

"You know there is a remedy for that? If you were with me right now, you wouldn't have to miss me." Alex said sweetly.

"I'd love nothing more than to be with you, Counselor, but it's nearly…" She glanced at her watch. "…midnight."

"And your point would be?"

Olivia frowned. "Umm… I guess I don't really have one."

"I'll expect you in half an hour, Detective." Alex said right before ending the call.

Olivia pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it for a moment before laughing. _'What am I going to do with her?'_

* * *

Olivia made it to Alex's apartment in less than thirty minutes as promised. She closed the door and locked it. She hung her leather jacket in the closet and her shoes were left by the door. She made her way up the stairs and down the hallway to Alex's bedroom when she saw a soft light coming from one of the rooms on the opposite side. Peeking around the corner, she saw Alex sitting behind a large desk poring over a pile of files and open law books. The blonde had yet to notice her so Olivia took the rare opportunity to study her.

Alex's long hair was down, flowing over her shoulders. It was slightly messy as if she'd been running her fingers through it all evening. Her eyes looked razor sharp and focused on whatever she was working on and perched on her nose were those 'fucking' black frames. Olivia thought the sight before her was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen.

Suddenly feeling watched, Alex lifted her head and spotted Olivia leaning casually in the doorway. She instantly smiled. She could clearly tell that the woman was tired, but she still looked amazing standing there in a pair of black jeans and a maroon sweater. Her eyes zoomed in on the familiar gold shield and gun attached to her belt. Alex thought to herself, _'God, Cabot, you are such a badge bunny! Who am I kidding? I'm just a Benson bunny!'_

Olivia came inside and started looking around. She took in the beautiful dark wooden desk, floor-to-ceiling matching bookshelves that covered the entire opposite wall. "I like your office. It's very… you."

Alex smirked as she watched Olivia picking up and inspecting various little objects around the room. Alex always enjoyed how Olivia seemed to own every room she walked into. She was ever the detective. It was a turn on.

"What does _that_ mean?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "It just suits you. It looks like you belong here. That's all."

Alex nodded standing and meeting Olivia around the desk. She slipped her arms around the other woman's neck, immediately pulling her close.

"Hi."

"Hi."

They both sighed with pleasure at finally being able to touch for the first time in a week. Alex buried her nose into Olivia's neck taking in the intoxicating smell that was a mixture of the leather, vanilla, and hints of almond scented body wash. The scent was uniquely Olivia and incredibly sexy.

Olivia leaned in and took possession of the blonde's lips, her tongue immediately granted access. The kiss grew in momentum as the seconds ticked by. Finally in need of oxygen, Olivia pulled back and moved on to the incredibly graceful neck below latching on to the blonde's pulse point. She smiled to herself when she heard Alex whimper.

"I… umm…warmed dinner up…for… you." Alex managed to stutter out. "Aren't you… hungry?"

Olivia grinned smugly. She loved that she had the power to render the usually verbose Alexandra Cabot into a stuttering mess.

"I'm starving… but not for food." Olivia said staring intensely into the blue eyes before her.

The look was so smoldering, Alex felt her knees nearly give out. She held on a little tighter. Before she knew what was happening, Olivia had lifted her up. Alex's legs immediately locked around the brunette's waist. Olivia kissed her one more time before pulling back. They stared at one another for a moment.

"I want to make love to you, Alex. Can I do that?" Olivia whispered hoarsely.

Alex swallowed and nodded. "I'm yours, Detective."

* * *

Alex took a deep breath and watched the beautiful sleeping woman lying in her bed and smiled. She had put a lot of thought into what making love with Olivia Benson would be like. She'd imagined just about every scenario. She often dreamed of making love by candle light on a bed of roses with soft music playing in the background; something right out of the romantic comedies she secretly watched. She occasionally imagined Olivia storming into her office, angry over a search warrant, coming around her desk getting into her space, and finally taking her into a heated kiss that would lead to passionate lovemaking on the desk or possibly the sofa. There was also another fantasy involving a squad car, but that was not something she was willing to share with anyone…yet.

Yes, she had imagined it a thousand different ways. Sometimes those fantasies were the only thing that got her through those lonely nights in those small towns. Out of all the fantasies she'd imagined, the real experience of being with Olivia Benson turned out to be far better than anything she had ever thought of. In reality, Olivia had simply carried her to the bedroom and proceeded to worship her body over and over again and Alex had returned the favor. Alex recalled that her mother had always told her that being intimate with the person you love would be different than any other experience. Although Alex hadn't paid much attention, she now knew without a doubt that her mother had been right. Every single time she had touched Olivia, kissed Olivia, explored Olivia felt like she was feeding her soul. She now understood that making love was just that… making love. It really was the physical manifestation of one's deepest emotions.

Everything about being with Olivia had been a wonderful surprise. At a glance, one might have thought the detective would have been a little rough. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. Alex was still amazed at how gentle Olivia had been; how the detective's hands had shaken slightly when she touched Alex intimately for the first time. The way Olivia had held her, kissed her, and took her time after time was done with such reverence and tenderness, Alex had nearly wept.

There had been no fancy dinner beforehand. There had been no long drawn out date clouded with nervousness and uncertainty. There had been no first time awkwardness; just two people in love fulfilling a need in one another. It wasn't a fantasy. It was real and it was perfect for them.

Alex ran her fingers gently down Olivia's face, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She watched in wonder as those big brown eyes blinked and slowly came awake. Alex instantly decided that this was something she would love to witness every morning for the rest of her life.

Finally focusing, Olivia smiled. "Good morning."

"Great morning." Alex said leaning in for a gentle kiss.

Olivia moaned pulling Alex tightly against her. "Perfect morning."

"How did you sleep?" Alex asked.

"Better than I have in a long time. You have a really comfortable bed. What kind of sheets are these?" She asked cheekily.

Alex moved over and straddled her. She narrowed her eyes and pinned Olivia's hands above her head. "Are you saying you slept well because of my _sheets_?"

"Of course not I'm kidding!" Olivia laughed. She trailed her eyes over the magnificent body above her. "God, you're sexy."

A mischievous grin grew on the blonde's face. "You're not bad yourself, Detective."

Olivia easily broke the blonde's hold on her and flipped them over. She now looked down into twinkling blue eyes.

"How much time do we have?"

Alex glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "About forty-five minutes… a little longer if you decide to shower with me."

"Plenty of time." Olivia growled making her way down Alex's body.

TBC...


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Here's the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 12: I know that face

Nick brought Olivia what seemed like her tenth cup of coffee since that morning. They'd spent hours going over photos and video from charity events hosted by Preston Enterprises hoping to find something that led to a suspect.

"All I see here is a mountain of social events and fundraisers." Nick said with frustration. "We're not going find anything here. This is useless."

Just as he was about to unload the video, something caught Olivia's eye. "Wait." She got up and moved closer to the screen. "Who's that guy?"

She turned to the computer technician. "Can you zoom in on him?"

"No problem. There you go."

Olivia stared at the enlarged image of the face. "This guy looks familiar. I've seen him before."

"Maybe he was in one of the other photos or videos." Nick said.

"Can you… I don't know… track his face. Can you see if he was in any of the other videos of our vic?"

The technician smirked. "I can do you one even better." With a few strokes on his keyboard several images came up. "I can pull up the video footage and photos and if he's in the system, I can give you a name." He pointed to the screen proud of his work.

Olivia and Nick both moved closer. "Well I'll be damned." Nick whispered. "He's in just about every single one. Looks like Danielle had a bit of a stalker."

Olivia narrowed her eyes as she read the name. "Gregory Stanton. I know that face." Suddenly it came to her. Her eyes widened. "The nurse."

"What?"

"The nurse. Remember, the day we went to Bellevue and spoke with Avery Livingston? He was the nurse sitting at the front desk."

"He said he was new there and didn't _know _Danielle." Nick said recalling the brief interaction. "Sure looks like he knew her to me."

Olivia nodded. Something suddenly occurred to her as she recalled the meeting. "Not only that, but when we spoke to him, we asked to speak to Danielle Preston's supervisor. Avery said she wasn't Danielle's supervisor. Why would he automatically call Avery if he wasn't familiar with the staff?"

"You think Avery had something to do with this?" Nick asked.

Olivia shook her head. "Not the way you're thinking. I think Stanton knew both Avery and our vic. I have a friend that's a doctor over at Mercy General and she always says that the nurses know everything that goes on in a hospital especially about the doctors. As a nurse at that hospital, Stanton would have had access to Danielle and Avery's personal information including their work hours."

"I think it's time we pay our nurse here another visit."

* * *

After making a few calls, they had discovered that Greg Stanton had quit his job at the hospital the same day they were there asking questions about Danielle. They managed to find Stanton's address, but he had moved. Luckily, one of his roommates was a little bitter over a disagreement about unpaid rent and was more than happy to give up Stanton's new address to the police.

A half hour later, Olivia and Nick stood at the door of a small apartment in an old brownstone downtown. Nick knocked on the door with his fist for the fourth time, after getting no answer the first three. A few knocks later and the door finally flew open.

Olivia immediately recognized him but kept her face friendly and neutral. He was taller than she remembered and very muscular. He looked to be in his early twenties.

"Excuse me. I'm Detective Benson. This is my partner, Detective Amaro." She held up her badge. "We're looking for Gregory Stanton. This was listed as his recent address."

Nick could see the guy start to become uneasy. He nudged his foot forward, blocking the door.

"Sorry. I don't know the guy." Stanton said quickly trying to close the door only for Nick to stop him.

"See, I _really_ think you do… _Greg_." Nick said.

Before either could respond, the suspect tried to slam the door again and bolted back into the apartment. Without hesitation, Olivia and Nick drew their weapons and followed suit. They moved through the apartment carefully, with Nick in front and Olivia at his shoulder covering him. Nick took a quick sweep to the left and saw Stanton heading out the back window.

"Shit! He's heading out the window!" Nick yelled and followed him out the window while Olivia headed back outside to try to cut him off.

When Olivia came through the front door, she caught a glimpse of Stanton coming around the corner. Leaping off the steps, she landed right on his back. Not realizing his strength, Olivia found herself being hurled back into a nearby car before landing hard on the pavement. She literally saw stars. The last thing she saw was Nick's face coming into view.

"Olivia! Olivia!

* * *

Alex was busily placing the remainder of her personal items in the small cardboard boxes scattered about the room. Luckily for her, she had never unpacked most of her things the last time she had been reassigned. Moving to her newer and much larger office a couple of floors up was proving to be a breeze. With Serena's help, she was nearly finished.

"So, are you excited about the new position? Becoming an EADA is a pretty big step up the political ladder." Serena asked carefully placing a framed photo of Alex and her mother in the box.

"Actually I am, but not because it's a step up politically. To be completely honest, I haven't given politics much thought in a long time."

Serena laughed. "Wow. I never thought I'd see the day when Alexandra Cabot would say those words."

"I think I just finally grew up. I was so naïve when I first started out. Nothing and no one was more important than my win/loss ratio. I _really_ was an insufferable ass." Alex laughed.

"You have changed a lot over the years, but I think we all have. We were all babies when we started in the DA's office. I always knew that I wasn't cut out for it, but you are. You really seem at home here."

Alex thought for a moment and nodded. "I'm a prosecutor. We both know I could do other things, but being a prosecutor is where I feel most at home. The only time I didn't feel that way was when I was Bureau Chief. I never felt like I had really earned that position so I never really committed to it."

"What about now?"

Alex gave a firm nod. "I'm ready. When Branch made me Bureau Chief, deep down I knew it was just because I was back from Witsec and it looked good for the office. This time around, I know Jack believes I'm the best person for the job."

Serena smiled genuinely happy for her friend. "In my opinion, you should have had this job a while ago, but I guess the timing had to be right."

"It did. I've learned that you can't force things to happen. They happen when their supposed to. This is the right time to move on. That's not to say that I'm not going to miss working with the Special Victims Unit like crazy. I have never met a group of detectives more dedicated than those guys. A part of me feels a little guilty about leaving.

"Why?"

"Because I know that I could still do a lot of good there if I stayed. But…a part of me is relieved to be leaving because I won't have to see that kind of devastation every single day anymore. Does that make me a bad person?"

"Of course not, sweetie. It just makes you human like the rest of us." She rubbed her friend's arm. "Everyone knows that SVU is a difficult place to work. I honestly don't know how you lasted as long as you did."

"My time there is nothing compared to the time that Olivia has put in. She's been there over thirteen years and she still finds the strength to get up and face it another day. A part of me feels like I'm letting her down."

"What does Olivia say about all of this?"

"It's more or less a moot point. For us to be together, one of us _has_ to leave. SVU is where she's meant to be so there was never really any question about me being the one to move on. But... when I told her about the promotion, she encouraged me to take it. She said that I had gone above and beyond for SVU over the years and no one could ever ask me for more than that. She said she was proud of me."

Serena smiled, touched by detective's words. "Smart woman."

"Wonderful woman." Alex amended.

Serena laughed. "So I guess that answers my next question. I take it things are going well between you two?"

Alex smiled dreamily. "She is… so amazing. She's incredibly smart and witty. And oh my god, she's hilarious. Because of what she does for a living, people don't get to see that side of her. We've known each other for years and even I had no idea. She's simply wonderful. Sure, we have our little hang ups and we _still_ drive one another crazy at times but… Olivia Benson is everything I ever wanted in a partner."

Serena watched her best friend blush. "Partner huh? So we're talking 'partner' serious already."

"No… I don't know. We're still taking things slow. I just…" She took a moment to gather her words. "I know the whole courting thing might seem a little old-fashioned, but… she makes me want to do things for her, things I never even thought of doing for the people I dated in the past."

"Like?" Serena implored.

"I want to take care of her… nurture her. I want to hold her hand and just listen to her talk… about anything. I want to rub her head when she's had a hard day. I want to make her laugh just so she can hear the sound of her _own_ laughter. I just want her to know how special she is." She frowned slightly. "She doesn't talk about it much, but I don't think the people she dated in the past did a good job of that. Sometimes I think she feels like she doesn't deserve it. I want to be the person who proves her wrong."

"Wow! I mean… Wow!" Serena said after staring at her friend. "In all the years I've known you; I have never heard you talk about anyone like this before. You got it bad, girlfriend!"

Alex suddenly blushed wishing she hadn't said so much. "Oh shut up!"

"No, No. It's a good thing. You have no idea how happy I am to hear you talking like this, Alex. It just means you're in love, sweetie." Serena grinned.

"God help me, I do love that woman." Alex sighed. "We just started dating but these last few weeks have been unbelievable. We fit so perfectly that it feels like we've been together for years."

Serena snorted. "That's because you two _have _been together for years. You were practically in a relationship from the start… only thing missing was the sex."

"You might have a point there." Alex laughed.

"Face it. She's the one you were always waiting for, Alex."

Alex smiled softly thinking of her beloved. "It's funny. Years ago, settling down wasn't even on my radar. My career always came first and that was it. I never met anyone who made me question that."

"And now?"

"Now… I'd put a damn ring on that woman's finger in a heartbeat if I thought it wouldn't scare her half to death."

They both laughed at the thought Olivia's reaction to a proposal.

Laughing was how Nick Amaro found them. He paused at the door for a moment not wanting to taint the obvious happiness on Alex's face. Serena turned and saw him first. Alex followed her gaze.

"Come to help me pack, Detective Amaro?" She greeted him as she glanced behind him in search of his partner. "Is your partner hiding in the hallway to get out of helping? You can tell her it won't work. I have a few heavy boxes with her name on them."

Nick swallowed before stepping into the office. "Umm… Alex…."

The smile Alex was wearing slowly fell from her face. Something in her gut was telling her that something was wrong. The color started to drain from her face as uneasiness pooled in the pit of her stomach.

"Where is Olivia, Nick?" She asked slowly.

He held his hands out and stepped closer. "First of all, Olivia is gonna be okay, but you need to come with me… to the hospital."

Suddenly, everything stopped. Alex couldn't seem to make her hands or feet to work. She just stood there for a moment unable to move.

Serena took hold of her arms and looked her in the eyes. "He said she's okay, Alex."

Alex swallowed hard and managed a slow nod. She felt Serena placing her purse and jacket into her trembling hands.

"I'll take care of all of this here. You just go. Everything will be fine. Call me if you need anything." Serena said softly.

Alex nodded mutely, unable to form words through the fear coursing through her veins. Her only thought was getting to Olivia as Nick led her out of the office.

TBC...

* * *

A/N: I won't leave you guys hanging too long. I have a long weekend coming up so there will be another post really soon. Please let me know what you think. The feedback helps. Thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I know this turn may not be to some of your liking, but I can't please everyone. I hope you'll keep reading and reviewing anyway. If there is still interest after this chapter, I'll keep posting.

* * *

Chapter 12: Fallen Angel

Alex didn't remember much of the ride to the hospital. She vaguely recalled Nick trying to reassure her, but the only thing that could reassure her now was to see Olivia alive and in one piece with her very own eyes. When they reached the hospital, she was finally coherent enough to inquire about the events that had brought them here in the first place.

"What happened?"

"We went out to question a suspect. The guy bolted. We pursued him. When I came around the corner, I saw Olivia jumping the guy. The guy managed to get the best of her and… he threw her back into a parked car."

Alex flinched then glared at him accusingly. "And where were you?"

Nick nearly took a step back feeling the full effect of those steel-blue eyes. "I persued the suspect while Olivia went back out front to cut him off. She ran right into his path. I was right behind her I swear."

"I know." Alex nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. Everything is just so…"

"Hey. I understand." Nick said while placing his hand over hers. "She was out of it for a few minutes but by the time the bus arrived she was awake and talking. She's the one who told me to come get you personally. She didn't want you to hear about it over the phone. I wouldn't lie to you, Alex. She's okay."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Is the suspect in custody?"

"A couple of unis picked him up a few blocks away. He's cooling his heels in lockup. I'm sure Fin and the guys are making sure that motherfu… I mean Mr. Stanton is feeling _really comfortable_ right now_._" Nick practically growled.

If Alex hadn't been a bundle of nerves, she probably would have laughed at Nick's obvious protectiveness. She knew there was a good chance that the suspect was in the process of getting the shit kicked out of him. As an ADA she should have been appalled. As a worried girlfriend, she didn't care so much.

Once Nick had led her to Olivia's room, he stopped at the door and remained outside. She looked back catching a glimpse of him as the door closed. She couldn't help thinking that he looked like a sentry standing guard, still trying to protect his partner. She turned and her eyes finally landed on the unmoving figure lying in the bed across the room. There was a woman dressed in nurse's scrubs seated by the bed holding, no more like caressing, Olivia's hand. Alex immediately tensed and raised a brow.

When the woman turned, Alex relaxed. "Kathy?"

Kathy Stabler gave her soft smile as she stood. "Hi Alex."

Alex was a little confused and it apparently showed on her face. "I was on duty when Olivia was brought in. I saw your name listed as next-of-kin so I thought I'd keep her company until you arrived."

Alex nodded still trying to take everything in. She suddenly felt light-headed and found the room starting to spin. Kathy quickly saw the signs and rushed to her side.

"It's okay, Alex. You need to breathe. Come on have a seat and just put her head down between your knees for a moment."

Kathy quickly pushed her down into the chair and rubbed Alex's back as she bent over. "That's it. It'll pass. Just take deep slow breaths okay."

A few tense minutes later, Alex seemed to have regained her footing. She sat up and accepted the cup of water Kathy had retrieved for her with gratitude.

"Sorry. I don't know what came over me. I've seen her hurt before. I should be used to this."

"It's different for you now. You never get used to seeing the one you love get hurt. The first time is always the worst." Kathy said knowingly. It was obvious Olivia had shared the news with her.

"You should have seen me the first time Elliot was hurt on the job. I threw up four times on the way to the hospital." She glanced over at a still sleeping Olivia and laughed. "I'm sure poor Olivia never wore those shoes again, but she never once complained. She was my rock that day."

"How is she?" Alex asked gently taking Olivia's hand. She took in the white bandage on the side of Olivia's head and huge purple bruising along her face and neck. It took everything in her not to cry.

"From what I could tell from her chart, it looks like a possible concussion and a few bruised ribs. If you're okay here, I'll go and find the doctor. I'm sure you have some other questions for him."

Alex looked up at the other blonde and nodded gratefully. "Yes, if you wouldn't mind. Thank you, Kathy."

"No problem. I'm just glad you two finally got a clue." Kathy said with a knowing smile.

Alex blushed. "Thanks."

"I'm just one floor up so don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything." Kathy said as she made her way to the door.

Alex simply nodded before she turned back to Olivia. She stood and leaned over the sleeping detective. Careful not to place any pressure on any part of Olivia's injured body, Alex placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Oh, baby. Look at you."

"It's not as bad as it looks." Came a throaty response.

Alex saw familiar brown eyes watching her. She pushed Olivia's bangs away from her face. "Hey. Are you okay?"

"Of course I am. You should see the other guy." Olivia tried to joke.

Tears were flooding Alex's eyes again and she tried to hold them back. "I don't know if I should be pissed at you or worried out of my mind right now."

Olivia pulled her close for a brief kiss. "Although you scare the shit out of me when you're pissed, I'll take it because I never want you to worry. I'm fine, babe."

Alex's lips quirked into a soft smile. "I think you're going to have to settle for a bit of both. Although, I guess I could try to hold off being pissed until you're feeling a little better."

"I do love a woman willing to compromise."

"You should consider yourself extremely lucky, Detective."

Olivia squeezed her hand. "Trust me; I know just how lucky I am."

Their private moment was interrupted by Olivia's doctor. He was a short, middle-aged, white man with sandy brown hair and kind brown eyes. His gentle bedside manner put them both at ease. After introducing himself as Dr. Harrison Garrett, he gave them both a quick rundown of Olivia's injuries which turned out to be a mild concussion and contusions to the ribs and back. She had been lucky that nothing had been broken. Much to Olivia's disappointment, she was going to have to spend the night in the hospital to make sure there was no further damage caused by the concussion. Alex sighed seeing the obstinate side of her lover coming out.

"I don't know why I can't go home. I feel fine now." Olivia protested.

Alex seriously doubted that statement. All evidence pointed to the opposite conclusion.

"I thought you said the concussion was mild?" Alex questioned instantly going into lawyer mode.

"Although it was not as serious as we first expected, the patient still suffered an injury to the head. Concussions can be very unpredictable. The patient's symptoms can range from very subtle to serious.

"What kind of symptoms?" Alex asked.

"Intense headaches, dizziness, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, loss of concentration, fatigue to name a few. Concussions can be very tricky. The symptoms of a concussion can seem subtle and may not immediately manifest themselves. Symptoms can last for a few days, weeks, sometimes longer. That's why I want the patient to remain here at least overnight to make sure we haven't missed anything."

"The patient is right here." Olivia said not liking being left out of the conversation.

Alex turned her attention back to her unhappy lover. "You." She pointed a finger and gave Olivia a stern look. "Be quiet."

Olivia went silent for a moment then continued to mumble under her breath while Alex spoke with the doctor. Alex gave her another quick glance. She could tell by the soft sheen of sweat on Olivia's brow that she was feeling at least some of the things the doctor had listed. _'Stubborn to a fault.'_ Alex thought.

"Can you give her something for the pain? Trust me; she won't admit that she's hurting but I can tell that she is." Alex said giving Olivia a serious look.

"Of course. We'll give her a mild sedative to help her rest more comfortably. She'll be awakened every couple of hours and monitored just to make sure there was no further damage. The best medicine right now is rest and avoiding anything strenuous."

"Excuse me, Dr. Garrett?" A young nurse entered and handed him a file. "The lab just sent these results up for your patient."

Alex was busy adjusting Olivia's pillow to make her more comfortable as the doctor scanned the contents of the file. When she turned, she noticed that he had a curious expression on his face. She immediately became worried, fearful that something more serious had been discovered about Olivia's condition.

"Is there something wrong, Doctor?" Alex asked anxiously.

Olivia instantly reached out and took her hand. "Stop worrying. It's probably nothing, right Doc?"

When there was no response, Olivia lifted her head and waited. "Is there something else I should know, Dr. Garrett?" She finally asked.

The doctor looked between the two women trying to gage the situation. "Maybe I should speak with the patient alone."

Olivia frowned. "Alex if my girlfriend, Dr. Garrett. Whatever you have to tell me, she can hear it."

The doctor's expression lightened instantly. He thought the two had looked close. They even acted like a couple comfortable with one another but he didn't want to assume.

"Oh! Of course then. In that case, I guess this news will involve the both of you."

Both Olivia and Alex frowned in confusion and waited.

"Congratulations ladies. You're pregnant."

* * *

TBC...


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Here is the next chapter. Thanks for reading.

* * *

Chapter 13: All In

Olivia stared straight ahead sure that she had misunderstood the doctor. There was no way he was telling her that she was pregnant. It just wasn't possible… was it? Alex seemed to be in the same state of shock. As soon as the doctor had said the words, the blonde's legs had given out. Thank God there was a chair behind her.

"What?" Olivia whispered.

The doctor took in their response to the news and instantly realized that he had misread the situation. When his patient had referred to the pretty blonde as her girlfriend, he had assumed that the news would have been welcomed. To him, this couple had looked so close and so in love. They gave the impression that they had been together for years. By the looks of things, he'd been very wrong.

"I'm sorry. I just assumed…" He gestured back and forth between them unable to find the right words. He cleared his throat and spoke more confidently. "Yes, Miss Benson. You are indeed pregnant."

Olivia could hear the words. She could hear them ringing over and over in her head. She just couldn't make herself believe them.

"You… You don't understand. I'm _not_ pregnant." She shook her head and looked at Alex who still seemed to be staring off into space.

The doctor looked over the file. "It says here that the lab ran the test a second time to be certain."

"You're not hearing me. I _can't_ be pregnant. I haven't… pregnant women have symptoms right?"

Olivia's mind was working a mile a minute. Images of the past several weeks flashed before her eyes. The headaches, nausea, exhaustion… it had just been a bug going around… hadn't it? _'Well Fuck!'_

The doctor paused and raised a brow. He hated to ask, especially in front of the blonde woman who appeared to be still in shock but he had a duty to the patient first and foremost. "When was the last time you had sexual intercourse… with a man?"

Olivia frowned and tried to think. "I don't know, months…The last time was…" She stopped abruptly. Something seemed to occur to Olivia. She suddenly looked absolutely miserable. "Oh God, this is not happening."

"Miss Benson, every pregnancy is different. Early signs of pregnancy can be influenced by many outside factors. You could have exhibited signs without being aware or you may not have had any symptoms at all."

Olivia laid her head back and tried to control her breathing. Dr. Garrett tried to reassure her.

"Let's just take this one step at a time, shall we? Now that we have this new information, we'll have to readjust your care a bit. I'm going to change your pain meds to a class B medication. I know taking any type of medication during pregnancy is cause for concern, but trust me; you will need something to control your pain. Your body must be able to heal and the less stress the pain causes the better. We will also go ahead and get an ultrasound as soon as possible to check on the viability of the pregnancy. I don't want to alarm you, but you did take quite a hit today and we will need to see how that has affected this pregnancy. At that point, we can get you set up with an OB/GYN to see how far along you are and advise you on further prenatal care."

Unable to speak, Olivia was simply nodding. She really hadn't heard much of what the doctor had said. She was grabbing bits and pieces of the speech. She knew she heard the words ultrasound, viability, and pregnancy. Holy fuck, she was pregnant! Feeling completely overwhelmed, she closed her eyes and tried to center herself. Somewhere along the way, the doctor had left and she was now alone with Alex.

The only thing Olivia could think at that moment was how ironic it was to say that there was a _'pregnant pause'_ between them. The thought almost made her laugh… almost. Opening her eyes, she looked over to see Alex still staring across the room at nothing. She also realized that the blonde was no longer holding her hand. She felt the loss immediately.

"Alex, say something."

Alex blinked. She still said nothing.

"Alex, please say something?"

"You're pregnant."

Olivia couldn't tell by her tone whether it was a statement or a question, whether she was angry or…. Olivia couldn't even finish the thought. There was no way Alex was happy about this. She didn't even know how she felt about it yet.

"You're pregnant." Alex said again in the same tone.

"It appears so."

"How Olivia?"

"I…don't know. It was so long ago since we…." Olivia groaned and dropped her head in her hands unable to put her thoughts into words.

"By we, I assume you mean Cassidy. Is he the father of this child?"

Olivia noticed that Alex was using her courtroom voice. It was even and devoid of emotion. She also knew that the blonde only used that tone of voice out of the courtroom when she was nervous, pissed, or both.

"Yes. Alex, I didn't cheat on you. I was honest with you about Brian from the beginning. I was with him long before you and I ever…."

Alex held up her hand stopping Olivia mid sentence. She just couldn't hear anymore. She stood abruptly and moved across the room. Alex was known for being good under pressure. She handled stressful situations with ease every day, but she had never felt this way before. She felt like she had the wind knocked out of her…literally. She knew she didn't have the right to be angry. All of this had occurred before she and Olivia had gotten together. Rationally, she understood this, but there was nothing rational about jealousy. She just hated the idea of anyone else touching Olivia and she sure as hell hated the idea of Olivia having a baby with someone else.

The seconds started to tick by and the distance between them just kept growing. Alex still hadn't said anything. Olivia remained quiet unsure how to take the blonde's behavior. She was afraid to think of what this would do to them. They had waited so long to be together, to find this happiness. Now their entire world had been turned on its head because of a drunken night with a man she hadn't thought about or spoken to in weeks. Fate had quite the fucking sense of humor. There were so many things to discuss now, so many decisions to be made but Alex was nowhere in sight at the moment.

Olivia suddenly found herself in the middle of a whirlwind of doctors, nurses, and technicians. The evening nurse was busy hooking Olivia up to several IV bags while explaining the purpose of each one. They wheeled in the ultrasound equipment and monitors. Olivia swallowed nervously feeling overwhelmed and a little afraid. She was trying to think positively, but couldn't stop the insecurities from creeping in. She had never been one to take especially good care of herself. She also had a dangerous job. Today had been a prime example of just how dangerous. What if there was something wrong with this baby? What if the baby didn't make it? There were so many what ifs. Olivia felt like she was drowning with nothing to hold on to. That's when she felt it.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Alex returned to her side and took her hand. Olivia looked up into Alex's eyes. She couldn't tell what Alex was thinking in that moment. All she knew was that Alex was still there. Letting out a sigh of relief, a lone tear escaped Olivia's eye. Alex gently wiped it away.

"I'm here, Olivia."

* * *

Alex stared out of the small window watching as the afternoon drifted into evening. Olivia had finally drifted off to sleep. The stress and anxiety of the day had finally gotten the best of her. Olivia had been subjected to numerous tests and an extensive exam by an OB/GYN. It had been revealed that Olivia was nearly nine weeks pregnant and by the grace of God, the baby appeared to be fine. Alex thought she had witnessed quite a few 'once in a lifetime' moments in her life. Yet nothing would ever compare to seeing the fluttering black and white image for the first time.

_"Okay, we're going to take a look inside now. I'll go ahead and warn you, this might be a little cold." The doctor said helping Olivia lift the hospital gown over her abdomen. _

_Dr. Virginia Fields was the head of the obstetrics and pediatrics department. She was rarely called in to perform a routine ultrasound, but when the name Cabot was mentioned, the hospital made exceptions. _

_Olivia jumped slightly feeling the cold gel on her skin. Alex watched her carefully. "Is she okay?"_

_"It's perfectly normal. She's fine." She said before turning her attention back to Olivia. She gave her a reassuring smile. "Are you ready?"_

_Not trusting her voice, Olivia just nodded._

_"And here we go. Let's take a look shall we?"_

_Alex held Olivia's hand and waited. It seemed to be taking the doctor a long time to find anything. She just kept moving the wand over Olivia's flat stomach. Alex tried not to show it, but she was out of her mind with worry._

_"And here we go." Dr. Fields looked at the anxious couple and smiled warmly. She pointed to a spot on the screen. "That little round shape there is your baby."_

_Olivia lifted her head to get a better look. Her tearful eyes focused on the small image on the screen in complete disbelief. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. She felt Alex lean into her. _

_A quick thudding noise rang out in the quiet room. _

_"What is that?" Alex asked worriedly._

_The doctor smiled. This was the part of her job that she loved the most. "That is the baby's heartbeat."_

_"It sounds fast. Is it supposed to be that way?" Olivia asked._

_"Yes. The faster the better. Everything looks just fine."_

_For the first time since the entire fiasco began, Olivia and Alex both smiled. _

Olivia's voice shook Alex out of her flashback.

"You look tired, Alex. You should go home and rest. I'm fine."

Alex gave Olivia her best courtroom glare. "If you think I am leaving this room, your head injury must be more serious than we thought."

Olivia couldn't help but smile. "I'm sure there are more important things you could be doing than sitting here babysitting me."

Alex moved closer and leaned over Olivia's bed. She brushed Olivia's hair away from her forehead before placing a soft kiss there. "Nothing is more important to me than you."

"Even now?" Olivia swallowed the thick lump in her throat. "Alex, we can't just ignore it. I know this isn't what you signed up for."

Alex sat back down in her chair. "It's a bit of a surprise. I'll admit that. You never do anything half way, do you Benson?"

"I'll understand…" Olivia paused finding it hard to say the words. "… I'll understand if you want to end this now."

"What?"

"Alex, if you want to walk away it's okay. I wouldn't blame you… no one would."

Alex shook her head adamantly. "No! We are not talking about _anyone_ walking away."

"Alex, I want this baby!" Olivia said loudly which she instantly regretted. "Oh, fuck that hurts!" The sharp pain behind her eyes nearly paralyzed her.

"Will you please calm down? You're supposed to be resting. You're just making it worse." Alex said brushing her hair back.

Olivia closed her eyes allowing Alex's soft caressing to sooth her. "It seems like I've gone and made everything worse anyway." A lone tear fell from her eye. Alex gently wiped it away. "Alex, I wanted a child of my own for so long. When the adoption route didn't pan out, I realized that dream wasn't going to happen. I even convinced myself that I was okay with it. Now… all of a sudden I'm having a baby but…"

"But?" Alex questioned.

"I don't want to have to trade one dream for another. I want this baby… but I want you too."

"I'm right here, Olivia." Alex pleaded.

"Can you honestly see yourself playing mommy with me, Alex… with a baby that was conceived with someone else? Alex, do you even realize what that would be like for you?"

"No, I don't!" Alex said with frustration. "I don't feel like I know much of anything right now."

"Alex…"

Alex held up her hand and cut her off. "I woke up this morning and my life was simple. I had you, I had a job and I was happy. I thought my life was going as planned, but you and I know better than anyone that sometimes life changes within a blink of an eye. This is one of those times. So, do I know the right thing to say or do in this situation? No, I don't have a clue. You're going to have to give me a little time to get my footing back. The only thing I _do _know is that I love you and I'm here."

"I don't doubt that you love me, Alex. I know you do. You have been incredible today but I can understand if this is too much. I wouldn't blame you if you decided that…"

"When are you going to stop _expecting_ me to leave you?!" Alex asked heatedly.

Olivia sighed heavily. "That's not what this is about, Alex."

"Yes, it is! You still can't believe me when I say that I would never leave you again. It seems that no matter how hard I try, you can't get past that. It's what you've come to expect from me and I suppose I've earned that." Alex finished in a defeated tone.

"I'm past all of that, Alex. I really am." Tears filled Olivia's eyes. "I just don't want you to hate me for this."

Alex took her Olivia's hand and placed it over her heart. "If you don't love me… If you don't want this, that's your decision. You tell me that and I'll walk away, but you need to understand one thing. You _do not _get to tell me how I should or should not feel. I love you… I'm _in_ love with you and I'm not leaving. When I said I was all in, I didn't mean I was all in as long as things were perfect or things didn't get messy. I said I was all in, period… end of discussion. Okay?"

Olivia nodded as her tears began to fall at an alarming rate. She couldn't remember the last time someone had loved her enough to fight for her. Alex had every reason to walk away right now yet she was standing by her refusing to be pushed away. Olivia was deeply touched by the love this woman was showing her and almost saddened that it had taken her so many years to finally find it.

"Hey. Look at me." Alex reached out and grabbed a tissue from the bedside table and wiped Olivia's tears. "I don't want to fight with you."

"I don't want to fight with you." Olivia responded immediately.

Alex nodded and cupped her cheek. "I know this isn't what either of us had in mind and everything is really confusing but we'll figure it out. You don't always have to be the strong one and handle everything on your own. Let me be the strong one for a change. Let me take care of you…." She smiled softly and placed he hand on Olivia's stomach. "… both of you."

"I don't know what I ever did to deserve you." Olivia said softly.

"You forgave me."

Suddenly feeling incredibly drowsy, Olivia smiled and said the first thing that came to mind. "I love you so much, Alex."

"I love you too."

* * *

Alex took full advantage of the time Olivia slept by checking emails, sending text messages and making calls. She had spoken with Captain Cragen and gotten the bare details of the case quickly building against Gregory Stanton. She knew Olivia would eventually grow restless and want to know if Nick and the guys had made any progress. She also gave Cragen a quick rundown of Olivia's injuries and prognosis. She left the part about Olivia being pregnant out of course. That would be Olivia's decision whom to tell and when. Cragen had informed her that Olivia was on mandatory sick leave for the following week, no exceptions.

She then moved on to making arrangements for her own absence from the office. This proved to be an easy task since she wouldn't technically start her new position as EADA until the end of the month. Another quick text went to her Uncle Bill and Aunt Julia informing them what happened and that Olivia was on the mend and due to be released tomorrow. Although they had yet to meet Olivia in person, Alex had already told them all about the new love in her life. Her last call was to Serena, who after finding out they'd be staying at the hospital, agreed to pick up dinner and go over to Alex's apartment and pick up some toiletries and change of clothing for her and Olivia and drop them off later in the evening.

Finally finished with any pending responsibilities, Alex reached into her purse and pulled out her iPad mini. She passed the time reading. She found herself surfing the net for pregnancy books and ended up downloading a few of them. She realized she had no idea what to expect during a pregnancy and could use all the help she could get.

The evening hours passed with little fanfare. She was relieved that Olivia had been able to rest at least a little. Every couple of hours, a nurse would come in to check Olivia's vitals and fetal monitor then wake the detective. Her name was Naomi. She was a slightly older African-American woman with kind eyes. Alex was certain that she had to be one of the sweetest people she had ever met. The woman would ask Olivia the same questions each time: 'Do you know what your name is? Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up? Are you experiencing any ringing in your ears?' and so forth.

Olivia answered each time giving the correct answer which helped to ease Alex's worry. The last time the older woman came in; she seemed to sense the detective's growing boredom with the questions so she switched them up a bit to tease her.

"Miss Olivia?" She waited for Olivia to wake and focus on her.

Olivia had insisted that Naomi call her Olivia and not Miss Benson. The veteran nurse of twenty-five years did not like the request, but she found Olivia to be just as stubborn as herself which meant they had to settle on a compromise. So Miss Olivia it was.

"Can you tell me the name of your favorite baseball team?"

Olivia's eyes brightened. "The Yankees of course."

Naomi gave her an approving nod. "Of course. Good choice."

"What are your thoughts on the Knicks this season?"

Olivia frowned. "Don't even go there."

Again the nurse smiled and nodded as she made a note on the chart.

"One last question, Miss Olivia. Who is this beautiful young woman sitting right here in this chair?"

Olivia's face seemed to light up with delight. "That, Miss Naomi, is my girlfriend Alexandra Cabot, the hottest lawyer in town and love of my life."

The nurse laughed as Alex bowed her head and blushed. She gave Olivia a thumbs up and winked at Alex. "She's doing just fine. I'll be back in a couple of hours, Miss Olivia."

"I'll be waiting breathlessly, Miss Naomi."

"Oh hush, you little heartbreaker." Naomi said with a grin before leaving the room.

Alex shook her head. Olivia had a way of making everyone fall in love with her.

* * *

TBC...


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Here's the next chapter. Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think.

* * *

Chapter 14: Nurse Alex

By the time the morning arrived, Alex was beginning to feel the exhaustion set in. Between the nurses waking Olivia throughout the night and her own discomfort from the tiny reclining chair she'd spent the night in, she had only been able to catch a nap for a few minutes here and there. Olivia didn't seem much better either. The older woman was very groggy when the doctor came by for his morning rounds.

Alex was currently standing outside sipping a cup of the most awful coffee she'd ever tasted while Olivia was being examined. She smiled when she saw Nick Amaro walking her way.

"Hey. I thought you could use this." He said handing her a steaming Starbucks cup and taking the one in her hand. He quickly tossed it.

Her smile widened. "Oh God, I think I love you."

Nick held up his hands playfully. "Easy there! Don't want Detective Wolverine in there ripping my head off over her girl."

Alex laughed and blushed slightly. She didn't know what it was about Nick Amaro, but he had that easy-going boyish charm that made women gravitate to him. She liked him and she liked the fact that he always had her love's back.

"I wanted to thank you for yesterday."

Nick shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall next to her. "I know we haven't been partners that long, but Benson is one of the best I've ever worked with. I know that she has my back and I'll always have hers. That includes you too now."

Alex nodded and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you. I'm glad she has you."

Nick couldn't help the blush that crept along his neck and face. Alex thought it was adorable, but wouldn't dare say it. It was something about these proud detectives that hated being anything but tough.

He coughed and nodded. "No problem, Alex."

Just then, the door to Olivia's room opened and Dr. Garrett stepped out. Alex excused herself from Nick to speak with him privately.

"How is she?"

"Considering the hard fall she took yesterday, Detective Benson is doing very well. There doesn't seem to be any serious further injury. Her symptoms are consistent with a concussion and will probably begin to subside in a few days. If she's still suffering from intense headaches, nausea, and sensitivity to light after a week, I'd bring her back just to be on the safe side. "

Alex nodded, filing the information away. She glanced down the hallway making sure Nick was out of earshot. "What about… the…the baby?" She asked stumbling over the words. She was still trying to get used to the idea.

"We kept her hooked up to the fetal monitors all night. Everything still looks good. I would suggest that she go ahead and schedule a visit with her own OB/GYN as soon as possible. She'll want to start her prenatal care immediately."

Again Alex nodded. "Will she be able to treat the pain in her ribs and her back at all? She was in a lot of pain this morning."

"I'm going to give you a prescription. It will be just a little stronger than the typical over the counter stuff, but still considered to be class B. It's completely up to her if she chooses to use it. She can always just stick with the over the counter pain meds if she feels more comfortable with that. Unfortunately, the bruised ribs are going to hurt like hell for a while. Right now, the best medicine is rest. She shouldn't be doing anything strenuous and absolutely no work for a week at the very least, longer if you can manage it."

Alex snorted. "Great. She's going to just love that."

The doctor gave her a knowing nod. He'd patched up enough "boys in blue" to know the drill. He handed Alex a couple of written prescriptions and shook her hand. "Good luck dear."

* * *

After a short debate, Alex finally convinced Olivia to spend the next week with her at her penthouse. After Alex helped her dress, Nick drove them back to Alex's place and helped them inside. Olivia was now propped up in Alex's bed against a mountain of soft pillows. Alex had gone to the kitchen to prepare lunch and give the partners time to discuss the case. Although Alex had given Olivia the bare details, she knew Olivia wouldn't rest until her partner had filled her in with every single detail.

Nick was standing awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. He was having a hard time with the idea of standing in the middle of Alex Cabot's bedroom. He had heard a few rumors about the attorney being wealthy. As he glanced around the luxury penthouse, he realized that rumor was true.

Olivia's voiced snapped him out of his musings. "Please tell me the mother of all headaches I'm suffering from was worth it. Did you guys get Stanton to talk?"

Nick nodded and gave her a grin. "Oh yeah. Because of his little run in with you, Cutter was able to get a judge to sign off on a warrant to search his place. Judge Petrovsky must have a soft spot for you or something because she gave no restrictions on it." He grinned a little.

"You guys find anything?"

"Did we? We found a wooden bat. The ME thinks it is a match to the wood chips found on the vic. She's matching the DNA from the bat and as well as the tissue found under the vic's nails to Stanton as we speak. We also found a watch that matches the description Avery gave for the one Danielle always wore."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The idiot probably saw how expensive it was and took it off Danielle with the intent to sell it. Turns out, the watch was a limited edition. There were only a hand full ever made and sold. Each watch has a specific serial number that can be traced back to the owner. The watch we found was tracked back to none other than Danielle Preston."

"He lawyer up yet?"

"You know it, but Cutter went after him like a bulldog. He would've made Cabot proud. Once Stanton realized all the evidence stacking up against him, he started singing like a fucking canary. Turns out you were partly right."

"The parents?" Olivia asked still having the gut feeling the Preston's were involved somehow.

"Yeah, but get this. Stanton claims the Prestons hired him to go after Avery."

Olivia's eyes widened. "What?"

Amaro nodded. "Stanton had both Avery and Danielle's work schedules. He had studied them for weeks. He knew the best times to catch them alone. He just made a mistake. Remember how Avery said that Danielle had borrowed her workout clothes that morning?"

Olivia grimaced instantly getting the picture. "That bastard thought Danielle was Avery, didn't he? She was the target that morning."

"Yeah. Stanton was supposed to take out Avery and make it look like a random rape and murder in the park."

"Anything substantial on the parents other than Stanton's word that they hired him?"

"Stanton may be dumb as a box of rocks when it comes to getting rid of evidence, but he sure as hell knew what he'd need to take the Preston's down with him if he took the fall. He secretly kept track of all of the off-shore bank transactions and he recorded the initial conversations between them. According to the tapes, the Prestons thought Danielle would be easier to control with Avery out of the way. If that didn't work, Stanton was supposed to take out Danielle later. I'm sure Cutter will offer Stanton life instead of the needle to get him to turn on the Prestons in court."

Olivia laid her head back and took a deep breath. She felt another headache coming on but wanted to know all the details of the case. "They hired Stanton to kill them both."

Nick nodded sadly. "They knew that if Danielle married Avery the free ride would be over. They _thought_ that if everything went as planned they'd end up with the money, company…everything."

Olivia raised a brow, which really was a bad idea since it sent a sharp pain behind her eyes. "To think that they almost got away with it too?"

"Actually, they wouldn't have gotten anything even if they hadn't been caught. Turns out, Danielle had her own suspicions about her parents. I guess the Prestons were too busy to notice that their daughter had inherited the business gene even if she had chosen another field."

"What do you mean?"

"We finally got a hold of Danielle's estate attorney. Nearly a year ago, Danielle secretly changed her will. No one knew about it, except the people there the day she signed it; two company lawyers and a judge she knew she could trust. She told them that she wanted to make sure her will was iron clad and couldn't be contested by anyone, especially her parents."

Olivia was trying to follow. "So…"

"She left it all to Avery…every single penny."

"So the bastards got nothing anyway." It was a statement rather than a question. "They had their own _daughter_ killed for nothing."

Nick shrugged his shoulders shook his head sadly. It still surprised him sometimes how cruel people could be to their own family. "Maybe… but at the very least, their facing life in prison now. I hope it was worth it."

"Alright you two, I think that's enough shop talk for now." Alex appeared in the doorway holding a tray with lunch on it. "Nick, why don't have a seat and stay for lunch?"

Nick glanced down at his watch and sighed. He really was tempted. Whatever Alex had whipped up smelled incredible. He suddenly felt a little envious of his partner.

"I wish I could, but I gotta get back to the station and help put this case to bed." He waved Alex off when she began to stand from the bed. "I can see myself out. You two call if you need anything, alright?"

"Thanks Amaro." Olivia said giving him a wave.

"Thank you, Nick." Alex said watching him leave.

She turned and faced Olivia when they were finally alone. "How bad is it?" She asked knowingly. Olivia knew there was no point in denying it. She could tell that Alex knew that she was in pain.

"Pretty bad."

Alex silently went into the bathroom. She came back with some pills and a small wash cloth. "Here. The doctor said that it was alright to take these." She held up the second bottle. "You also need to take one of these every day. This is your prenatal vitamin."

Olivia quickly popped the pills and took a sip of water. She laid her head back and sighed as Alex placed the cool cloth against her forehead.

"You really should eat something with these pills. Do you think you can hold down a little soup?"

"I really don't want anything."

"I know you don't, but you haven't eaten anything all day and this isn't just about you anymore. You have to try to take better care of yourself from now on."

"You're right. Soup sounds good."

Alex fed Olivia nearly half of a bowl of soup before the detective shook her head unable to finish. Alex placed the tray aside and readjusted the covers. She could see Olivia's eyes drifting closed. She got up to leave before feeling a tug on her hand. She turned to see a drowsy Olivia looking up to her.

"Stay with me?"

"I'll be right back."

Alex gathered the remnants of their lunch and carried the tray back down to the kitchen to be washed. When she returned a few minutes later, she saw Olivia lying peacefully with her eyes closed. Alex kicked off her shoes and jeans and carefully slid into bed. She placed a gentle kiss on Olivia's forehead and lay next to her. Olivia slowly shifted until she was lying in a comfortable position with her head on Alex's chest. Alex brought her arm around and held her gently in place. A few moments later, Alex could hear Olivia's breathing become slow and even. It wasn't long before she followed.

* * *

Alex was surprised that Olivia turned out to be the model patient. That had to be a testament to how much pain Olivia had actually been in. When the detective wasn't sleeping, Alex had kept her occupied by reading to her and telling her humorous stories from her childhood and the more outrageous tales of her first days as a baby prosecutor back in Boston.

A couple of days later, Alex's aunt and uncle had dropped in for a quick visit. Initially, Olivia had been a nervous wreck about meeting two of the most important people in Alex's life. Bill Harriman and his wife Julia Grayson-Harriman was the closest thing Alex had to parents now. She wanted to make a good impression. Alex was rather amused by the usually confident detective's nervousness. She wondered if the pregnancy hormones had anything to do with it but she didn't dare mention that to Olivia. Alex just tried to assure her that her aunt and uncle would love her just as much as she did.

Just as Alex had predicted, Olivia's nervousness had been put to ease as soon as she met the older couple. Olivia found them to be very warm and kind. She instantly saw the resemblance between Alex and her Aunt Julia. Julia was the older sister of Alex's mother, Helena Grayson-Cabot. The intense baby blue eyes, gorgeous blonde hair, and quick wit must have been family traits.

It was also obvious that Bill and Julia doted on 'their' Alexandra. Bill had said that since he and Julia had never had children of their own, they had always treasured having Alex in their lives. Alex had stared directly into Olivia's eyes when her uncle had said that. Olivia could tell that Alex was thinking the same thing. They were both wondering if they would be doting on this baby the same way.

The lunch was fun and relaxed with Bill and Julia telling Olivia several embarrassing stories about a young and willful Alex. Seeing Olivia's strength waning, Julia and Bill had given Olivia and Alex a hug and kiss before taking their leave.

* * *

By the next day, Olivia and Alex had fallen into a comfortable routine. Alex would rise first and head down to the kitchen to make breakfast while Olivia showered and dressed. After breakfast, Alex would shower while Olivia watched the news. The rest of the day, they'd lounge around and read or Alex would read while Olivia rested. Dinner was a quiet affair on the sofa followed by a movie if Olivia felt up to it.

When Olivia had awakened around noon, she found herself alone in Alex's large bed. She glanced around the room and took in the relaxing feel of it. The very first time she had seen this room she remembered thinking that it was just as she had imagined Alex's bedroom would be. It was open with clean lines and sophisticated furnishings. The walls were bright white with dark blue trimming. There were various types of abstract artwork on the walls with warm family photos on the gorgeous fireplace across the room. Her favorite part of the space was the bathroom. There was a huge glass shower with spouts installed into the ceiling. The oversized marble encased tub sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling one way windows that offered an amazing view of the city. Everything about the room screamed relaxation.

Quickly growing bored with resting, Olivia carefully pulled herself up. She glanced down at the pajamas she was dressed in. Most people had no idea that Alex Cabot had such a wicked sense of humor. Knowing what a die-hard Yankees fan Olivia was, Alex had thought it would be hilarious to buy her several pair of Boston Red Sox pajamas to wear over duration of the week. Olivia had been so exhausted and filled with pain on the first day that she really hadn't paid much attention to what Alex had helped her change into. When she finally did take notice, Alex had only laughed harder at the death glare Olivia had shot the attorney's way. Catching another glance at herself in the mirror, she grunted and headed off to find Alex. _'Damn Red Sox'_

She found Alex downstairs sitting out on the terrace sipping tea.

"Hey. There you are."

Alex turned and held out her hand in invitation. "Want to join me?"

"Sure."

Alex turned in the chair and pulled Olivia gently into her lap. She felt Alex's hand come to rest against her stomach. She noticed that Alex had started caressing her stomach every time they were near each other. She found the act endearing.

"How was your nap?" Alex asked. She brushed Olivia's hair back and placed a kiss along her neck.

Olivia moaned and leaned more into Alex's arms. She had never really allowed anyone to hold her like this before. It felt good to actually lean on someone else for a change. "Okay, I guess. My headache is gone."

"That's good. How are your ribs feeling today?"

"Not too bad. Only hurts when I breathe."

They both laughed softly. Alex leaned in and kissed her. "Sorry. I wish I could make it better."

"You do, Alex. You have no idea. Everything you've done this week… taking care of me, accepting… this baby. No one has ever done that for me before."

"I love you, Olivia. I'll always want to take care of you… and this baby."

"I love you too."

They kissed for a few minutes before Alex needed to pull back and let her libido cool down. She knew Olivia was still in no condition to make love… no matter how turned on they were.

"So while you were napping, I was doing some thinking."

Olivia smirked. "Oh boy, this could be bad."

Alex reached down and pinched her behind making Olivia jump. "Watch it."

"Okay. Sorry. What were thinking about with that huge brain of yours?"

"I was thinking, now would be a good time for us to get away… maybe take a little vacation."

Olivia frowned. "A vacation?"

"Stop saying it like it's a bad word. Contrary to what you may believe, vacations are not tools of the devil. Normal people take them all the time."

Olivia smirked. "You're such a smart ass."

Alex chuckled. "That I am, but I also know you very well. I know you're going to want to go back to work as soon as possible, but Captain Cragen has banned you from coming back to the station for at least a week, not to mention you'll be on desk duty for another week when you return anyway."

Olivia pouted and mumbled. "Rub it in why don't you."

Alex rolled her eyes and continued. "I'm officially still _'out sick'_ until I start in Major Cases in another two weeks. I was thinking that you could take a week of all of that vacation time you have built up and we could go away for a couple of weeks… just you and me."

"How do you even know that I have vacation time built up?"

Again Alex rolled her eyes. She knew Olivia was just pushing her buttons. "Olivia, you _NEVER_ take time off and I don't think you've ever gone on vacation in all the years I've known you. You have to have like five years worth of vacation time built up."

Olivia laughed. "Okay, you have a point about the vacation, but no one has like five years of vacation time. That's just insane."

"Whatever. I was just trying to make a point. All joking aside, you need time to rest and recuperate. The time way would be good for you and the baby."

"So let's say I agree to this vacation. Where would we go?"

"Anywhere you want to go. You pick the place and I'll make it happen."

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere in the world. You name it."

Olivia looked at Alex for a moment. "You're serious aren't you?"

"Of course."

"I don't know, Alex. That's a lot. I have this baby to think about. I can't just go off on some expensive vacation right now."

"_I_ want to take _my_ girlfriend on vacation. _You_ don't have to worry about a thing." Alex noticed Olivia still hesitating. "Liv, what's the real problem here?" Alex asked already knowing what the issue would be.

Olivia sighed unsure how to broach the topic. "This is all just a bit much, Alex. People like _me_ don't just up and go on a vacation anywhere in the world at a moment's notice."

"People like _you_?" Alex narrowed her eyes.

"Yes. People like _me_ usually have to plan and save for that sort of thing. There's usually a budget involved at the very least."

"Okay. If you want a budget, we'll make a budget." Alex said simply.

Olivia frowned. "You know what I mean, Alex."

Alex sighed. "Fine. I knew we were going to have to talk about this at some point. But if I'm going to have this conversation, it's going to be inside where it's more comfortable. Come on."

Olivia carefully stood from the blonde's lap and made her way inside with Alex trailing. Once Alex closed the doors, she took her cup back into the kitchen.

"Do you think you can hold down some food? It's been a while since you've eaten."

Olivia knew Alex was using food as an excuse to gather her thoughts, but she didn't call her on it. "Sure, but nothing too heavy. A sandwich maybe."

Ten minutes later, Alex placed two deli style sandwiches on the coffee table along with two bottles of water. They nibbled for a few minutes before Alex finally pushed her food away.

"It bothers you… that I have money, doesn't it?"

Olivia hesitated which told Alex all she needed to know.

"I wish it didn't. I just… money can complicate things, Alex. As much as I'd like us to, we can't live in a bubble."

"Would you love me more if I were poor?"

"No."

"What about if I were just getting by on my ADA salary? Would you love me more then?"

"Of course not. That's ridiculous, Alex."

"Then why would it matter if I had _more_ money than that?"

Olivia sighed and laid her head back against the sofa. She should have known better than to get involved in a discussion with a woman who did it professionally. She suddenly felt her headache trying to come back.

"That's not what I mean, Alex."

Alex tried to remain patient and level-headed. The last thing she wanted to do was stress the woman out.

"Alright. How about this? You tell me what your concerns are or ask me any questions you have and I'll try my best to give you a straight answer. No lawyer semantics, just the truth. I promise."

Olivia was quiet for so long that Alex feared she had fallen back to sleep.

"Alex, exactly how much money do you have?" Olivia figured beating around the bush wouldn't get them anywhere so she started with the most obvious.

Alex had to give it to the woman. She was direct. "Well, it's a little hard to give you an exact number at this very moment, but I can give you an estimate of what I'm worth if you'd like."

Olivia kept her eyes closed, head back. "An estimate is good."

Alex grabbed a pad and pencil that she had left lying on the table. She wrote a figure on a clean page and handed it to Olivia. For some reason, she hated saying it out loud.

Olivia looked at Alex for a moment before taking the pad. She glanced down at the page then swallowed hard.

"This would be in dollars, correct?"

"Yes."

"Jesus H. Christ, Alex! This is millions of…." She grabbed her head and stopped speaking, immediately regretting the outburst due to the sharp pain flashing behind her eyes. "Ouch… Fuck!" She pushed her head between her knees to hold back the nausea. She rubbed her temples and took a deep breath.

Alex could tell she was in pain and reached out to touch her. "Liv, are you alright?"

Olivia flinched away. "I'm fine. Just… Just give me a second, okay?"

Hurt by Olivia's sudden withdrawal, Alex took their empty plates back into the kitchen and washed them. She was putting the dishes way when Olivia appeared behind her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't take that too well, did I?"

Alex kept her back turned but Olivia could see her shrug her shoulders.

Olivia went over and slipped her arms around Alex's waist placing a soft kiss on the blonde's neck.

"I'm sorry, Alex. You got the shock of your life a few days ago and you've still managed to be a rock for me. I'm sorry.

Alex turned around in her embrace and gave her a soft smile. "It's alright. It can be a little… much for some people. That's why I don't talk about it too often."

"That's understandable, but I didn't mean to upset you. I want you to feel like you can talk to me about anything."

"I do."

"Then tell me about it then."

"What else do you want to know?" Alex asked.

Olivia smiled and pulled Alex over to the bar. They took a seat next to each other. "How about you start by telling me where all that money came from, but… there is one thing I need you to tell me first. It's a deal breaker." Olivia said giving her a serious look.

"What is it?"

"Please tell me you aren't related to the Kennedys or something."

Alex rolled her eyes and tried not to smile. She failed. "You're not that funny."

Olivia laughed glad that she had been able to make Alex smile. "I'm just a little bit funny, admit it."

"No, you're not."

"Whatever. You're just in denial, but seriously… come on. I'm listening."

Alex shrugged. "The story isn't all that interesting. It's not much to tell. My Great-Grandfather got a job working at a small ship building business in Boston. The owner was older and sickly. He wanted to retire, but hated allowing just anyone to come in and take over what he'd built. He had taken a liking to my Great-Grandfather and sold it to him for next to nothing. Apparently, my Great-Grandfather had quite the head for business. He rebuilt that company from the bottom up and branched into other areas. He used his new wealth to make sure his kids went to Harvard. It became a tradition. It probably doesn't surprise you that most chose corporate law; a couple went into politics. When my Grandfather took over he decided to take the company in a different direction, mostly technology based. He made some very smart investments in the stock market; he got lucky a few times too. By the time my father came along, that small business had grown into an empire. He eventually controlled sixty percent of the company. When he died, he left thirty percent to me and twenty-five to my mother. When she passed away, her twenty-five percent went to me as well. The other forty-five percent of the company is made up of cousins and various other family members."

Olivia swallowed hard. "Wow, you own an... empire?"

"No. I have controlling interest in a private company. I just show up for board meetings every now and then."

"Sounds like the same thing to me."

"Liv, I don't want this to change things between us."

"I think it's a little late for that. There are a lot of zeros on that page." Olivia said pointing at the notepad.

Alex felt her heart clench. "Why does it have to change anything? It's just money."

"It just does." Olivia took her hand and caressed it. "Alex, my life is a mess right now. You could have any…"

Alex pulled her hand away already angry. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence! If you dare say that I could have anyone I wanted and why would I want you… I swear to you, concussion or not, I will kick your stubborn ass all around this apartment!"

Olivia had the good sense to blush. She tried to hold in her smile but she couldn't help it. She laughed out loud as she imagined Alex doing just that. This only seemed to make the blonde angrier though. She held up her hands in defense.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You're right. That's was a totally… lame thing to say. I just… we both know you wouldn't dare hit a pregnant woman."

Alex laughed in spite of herself. "You're right. I wouldn't. You should be thankful for that."

"I guess I still can't believe that someone like you wants to be with someone like me. And it's not about the money, I swear. So don't try to kick my ass." She quickly added.

"Then what is it?"

"Alex, I would be intimidated by you even if you _were_ just getting by on a city wage." When Alex frowned, Olivia smiled. "You're an amazing woman, Alex with or without the money. You're smarter than anyone I know. You're interesting and charismatic. You're kind and compassionate. Not to mention you're absolutely gorgeous. I've seen guys walk into walls trying to get a look at you and you don't even notice. Who wouldn't be intimidated by that package?"

Alex's annoyance had quickly dissolved and she was now reverting to the complete puddle of mush that she usually became when Olivia Benson said something romantic.

"Liv…"

Olivia cut her off with a loving kiss. "I'll always think you're too good for me, Princess. That doesn't mean I'll ever want anyone else."

"You're the one who's too good for me." Alex said snuggling into Olivia's neck.

"You're out of your mind. We really have to work on your self-confidence." Olivia said.

Alex laughed. "Sure, that's exactly what we need to do; inflate my ego even more. Aunt Julia might come after you with the wooden spoon if she heard you say that. She already says that I'm too arrogant for my own good."

They both laughed softly. Olivia hesitated before she spoke unsure how Alex would take what she was about to say. "At some point, we're going to have to talk about Cassidy and what to do about him, Alex. We have to settle all of this before we can even think about going off on some vacation."

"He's the father. He has a right to know that you're pregnant with his child." Alex said evenly.

"And what if he wants to be a part of this baby's life? What then? How will you deal with that?"

"Then… _we_ will deal with it. I know how you've always felt about not knowing your own father. I would never stand in the way of that."

Olivia could only nod, still amazed by this woman's compassion. "So, we agree that I should call him."

Alex nodded. "Cassidy works undercover a lot. Do you even know where he is?"

Olivia sighed. "No, but I know how to get word to him."

"Okay. That's what we'll do then."

"Okay, but I think it needs to be soon. I don't want to have to worry about that while I'm on vacation."

Alex's spirits lightened and she couldn't stop grinning. "You'll go?"

"A rich, hot blonde wants to take me away to ravish my body and have me all to herself. I'd be an idiot to turn that down." She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on soft lips. "So where to?

"Like I said, anywhere you want."

Olivia bit her lip and pretended to think. "How about you surprise me?"

Alex really liked that idea. Her eyes twinkled with glee. Olivia caught the look.

"Within reason, Alexandra." She warned.

"What, you don't trust me?" Alex said with a pout.

"No! With the kind of money you have you might go off and buy an island or something."

Alex snapped her fingers. "Damn it! Now, I'll have to think of something else."

"What am I going to do with you, Princess?"

"Keep me… love me." Alex leaned in and kissed her.

Olivia moaned. "I could do that."

Alex tugged Olivia's earlobe with her teeth. "Oh and Liv?" She breathed.

"Yes?"

"Don't call me Princess."

They both laughed.

"Yes dear."

* * *

TBC...


	15. Chapter 15

Here's the next installment. Happy reading!

* * *

Chapter 15: Breaking The News

Olivia was true to her word. She had tracked Brian down the very next day and asked him to come over. Although she had really wanted Alex with her, she felt that breaking the news to him would probably go more smoothly if the blonde wasn't there. Olivia also knew this entire situation was hard on Alex and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt her even more. Alex had reluctantly agreed to her wishes and went out to run a few errands in order for the new parent's-to-be to talk.

An hour after Alex had left; the doorman had called and announced Cassidy's arrival. Olivia nervously opened the door and saw him leaning casually in the doorway.

"Hey Brian." She said opening the door wider in invitation.

Brian raised a brow when Olivia turned away as he leaned in to kiss her. "What? No hello kiss?"

Olivia took a step back and closed the door. "I told you this wasn't that kind of visit, Brian. I thought I made it clear that our relationship has changed."

He shrugged his shoulders and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well, I thought the call out of the blue was you reconsidering."

Olivia shook her head. "Things haven't changed, Brian. You and I are and will remain strictly friends."

He gave her a confused look. "Okay, so why the need to see me then? Forgive me, but you and I have never been the kind of friends that just hang out and watch movies and chat."

Olivia moved into the living room and gestured him to follow. "Can I get you something to drink? I'm sure there is pretty much anything you could want here."

When he shook his head, she took a seat on the sofa. Brian looked around the room and noticed a few framed photos on the mantle above the fireplace. He noticed a photo of Olivia with a familiar blonde.

"This Cabot's place?"

Olivia nodded. "Yeah. I got a little banged up chasing a suspect a few days ago. Alex is looking after me."

Brian gave her an odd look. "Since when do you let anybody look after you?"

"Since I found a girlfriend willing to put up with me."

"No shit, you and Cabot?" Brian's eyes widened and a lascivious grin grew on his face. "So, you digging chicks now, huh?"

She rolled her eyes at him. Whenever the man opened his mouth, it always made her wonder what actually attracted her to him. It was obvious that their connection had only been the sex. That never required much talking.

"Sit down Brian. We need to talk."

"If this is about a three-some, count me in. I always thought Cabot was hot too." Brian said with a laugh.

Olivia had to remind herself that punching Brian in the mouth probably wouldn't be a good idea considering the news she was about to drop on him.

"Alex and I are perfectly happy with just each other, but thanks for the offer."

He shook his head with amusement knowing that he'd pushed her far enough. "I'm just yanking your chain, Liv. I'm just surprised ya know? You always said you weren't the monogamous type. That's why we worked so well."

"I know what I said, Bri but that wasn't really the truth."

He leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. He eyed her closely. "You've always had a thing for Cabot haven't you?"

"Yeah."

"How long?"

Olivia swallowed. "A long time."

"So… when I told you that I wanted _more…_ than just sex and you fed me that line about not wanting to be tied down, you were lying." It was more of a statement than a question.

Again she nodded. They were both silent for a long period.

"I guess that really isn't a crime. It's not like I didn't have a good time. Being with you was always fun. There are no hard feelings here, Liv. You didn't need to call me over here to tell me about you two. You didn't really owe me that."

"I appreciate you saying that, Brian, but that's really not what I needed to talk to you about."

"Okay. If that's not it, what is it?"

"Brian… I'm pregnant."

Brian froze. "I think I'll take that drink now."

* * *

A few blocks away, Alex was sitting on her best friend's sofa nursing a strong drink of her own. Serena came over and refreshed her glass with another shot of aged bourbon. She watched her best friend with concern. Alex had shown up at her door nearly in tears. It only took a few minutes to coax an explanation out of her.

"So… Olivia's pregnant? Wow."

Alex nodded and gulped her drink. She winced as it went down.

"And the father is Brian Cassidy?"

Another nod came from Alex. Serena bit her lip and took a sip of her own drink. She wasn't much of a drinker and she hated bourbon. Bourbon was her girlfriend's favorite drink. She suddenly wished Abbie was in town. Abbie was always better with this sort of thing.

"Okay… umm… how do you feel about that?"

Alex turned and gave Serena a look that probably could have melted the polar caps. Serena cringed. "Right. Right. That was a really stupid question."

Alex waved her off as she lay back against the sofa. "It's okay Rena. There really isn't a _right_ thing to say in this situation. The woman who I love more than anything in the world is in love with me, and we are _finally_ together but…" She took a large swallow of her drink and winced. "…she is pregnant with a baby that she conceived with someone else."

"Does Cassidy know?"

"She's telling him now. That's why I'm here. Olivia thought it would be better if she broke the news to him alone."

Serena sighed. She was at a loss of what to say. She took Alex's hand and squeezed it. "Are you okay? How are you handling all of this?"

Alex let out a humorless laugh. "I'm on your sofa drinking bourbon." She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. She took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"I have no idea what I'm doing right now, Rena. Everything was going so great for us then out of the blue we get hit with this news. My girlfriend is having a baby and I had _nothing_ to do with it!"

"You know, this doesn't have to be your problem, Alex."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is… no one would blame you if this was too much for you to take on."

"Why does _everyone _keep expecting me to walk away?" Alex's blue eyes flashed dangerously.

"Alex, you know I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just saying that this situation would be a lot for anyone to accept. If Abbie walked through that door and told me that she was pregnant, I'd probably need to be committed into a crazy house."

Alex couldn't help but smile a little. "If Abbie Carmichael walked through that door pregnant, I'd commit myself."

They both laughed. They both knew that if anyone was getting pregnant between Abbie and Serena, it would have to be Serena. Abbie had stated on many occasions that no child would ever be taking up residence in her womb.

"What about Olivia? What does all of this mean for you two?"

Alex shrugged her shoulders. "I know Olivia loves me and she wants to be with me. She's also afraid that I'm going to flake out and leave. Considering my track record, I can understand her feeling that way."

Serena waited a few minutes before continuing. "What do _you_ want to do, Alex?"

"It's not really up to me."

"Let's just say that it was. What would you want?"

Alex smiled softly. "I'd want to raise this baby with Olivia. God help me, Serena, I want a family with her, but we both know it's not that simple. As much as I hate to even think about it, Brian Cassidy is this baby's father and he may have a completely different idea of what this family will look like."

"Have you told Olivia how you feel?"

Alex shook her head. "She's under enough stress without adding my insecurities into the mix."

Serena raised a brow. "_You_ matter too, Alex. You can't just ignore your own feelings in all of this."

"I know. I'm just so afraid of losing her." She gave Serena a wounded look. "Let's face it. Brian Cassidy could make this whole thing difficult for her because of her relationship with me. If it came down to _me_ or this _baby_, there would be no choice to make."

* * *

After gulping down three consecutive shots of tequila, Brian Cassidy seemed to finally regain the ability to string a few words together to form a coherent sentence.

"Pregnant… as in there is a… baby in there… and it's mine?" He said pointing towards Olivia's flat stomach.

Olivia nodded.

"How is that possible? We haven't been together in like… like…"

"Nearly ten weeks." She provided. "I'm almost ten weeks along."

"But… But we were always careful. We used protection didn't we?"

Olivia shook her head. "Evidently we weren't careful enough. We were pretty intoxicated that last time and I'm almost positive that we skipped that part."

He raised a brow. "Almost?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's _yours_ Brian! You were the only man I was having sex with."

"There's no way it could be anyone else's?"

She clenched her teeth and tried to stay calm. "Well it sure as hell isn't Alex's but we can always have a paternity test if you'd like."

He shook his head. He knew Olivia would never lie about anything like this. "I'm sorry, Liv. I didn't mean that. I… I'm just surprised."

"You're telling me." She mumbled.

A few minutes passed as they sat in an uncomfortable silence. Brian rubbed his hands together nervously.

"You said you were nearly ten weeks. So what do you want to do?"

She knew what he was asking. He didn't have to say the words. "I'm going to have this baby, Brian."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. At least one decision had been made. "Okay. Okay. So… uh…"

"I'm not asking you to do _anything_, Brian. I'm telling you because you have the right to know."

He snorted. Olivia always had a way cutting a man to the quick. She was essentially telling him that she didn't really need him at all.

"What does your new _girlfriend_ say about all this? Does she know you're having my kid?"

Olivia nodded. "Alex was with me at the hospital when I found out. It was certainly unexpected, but she's taking it as well as anyone in her position could."

Brian looked surprised. "Really? We're still talking about Alex Cabot right? She doesn't strike me as the type to be excited about baby food and dirty diapers."

"You don't know Alex like I do, Brian. She's a good woman. She loves me and that means she'll love _my_ child."

"_Your_ child?" He stood and began to pace. "So where does that leave me exactly?"

"You're this child's father. That doesn't change because Alex is in my life, but I meant what I said. I don't expect you to do anything. I can take care of this baby on my own if I you can't do this."

He stopped and looked at her before shaking his head. "I may be many things, but a dead beat isn't one of them, Liv. I take care of my responsibilities. I would help you support this kid."

"Paying child support and being an involved father are two very different things, Brian."

Brian scratched his stubble nervously. "I know that. God, I just found out that you're pregnant, Liv. You gotta give me a second to catch up."

Olivia just nodded and they sat in silence for a while.

"I want to be honest with you about everything, Brian. So I think you should know that my relationship with Alex isn't going to change which means that she _will_ be a part of this child's life too."

Brian gave her a bashful grin. "You ever thought about… you and me making a go of it and doing this thing together, give this kid what neither of us had?"

She gave him a soft smile, suddenly remembering what had drawn her to him in the first place. Behind all the one liners and teasing was a good heart. She was glad she remembered.

"Let's not go fooling ourselves, Bri. You and I both know we would never work. We don't love each other and you're not the type to settle down with just one woman."

"Maybe I was just looking for the right woman." He raised a hopeful brow.

"Maybe I was too. The difference is… I've found her." Olivia said looking him in the eyes.

He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. "So, this thing with Cabot, it's really that serious?"

Olivia nodded. "I love her, Brian. With everything in me, I love her. She's it for me."

"I guess you can't get more serious than that." He blew out a long breath and gave her a weak smile. "Well alright. I guess we'll just have to figure this thing out as we go along then."

Olivia stood and gave him a hug. Brian pulled her close and buried his face into her neck taking in the familiar scent of her. Olivia had said that they didn't love each other, but he knew she was partly wrong. Brian _did_ love Olivia and even if she never knew, there was a part of him that would always be _in love_ with her.

The sound of the front door opening caused them to pull apart. They turned to see Alex as she stepped into view. The silence between them was pronounced and incredibly awkward.

"You're back." Olivia said shifting nervously.

Alex simply nodded as she flicked her eyes in Brian's direction.

"Brian, you remember Alex don't you?"

He raised his chin as she gave him a curt nod in return. Olivia felt like she was in the middle of a Mexican standoff. Alex wanted to be petty, but years of proper manners wouldn't allow her.

"Cassidy. It's nice to see you again."

"You too, Cabot. This is really weird isn't it?" Brian said breaking the tension.

Alex snorted. "That would be the understatement of the year."

Brian nodded. "Well…Olivia just gave me the news."

Alex gave him a weak smile. "Congratulations. You must be thrilled."

He scratched the back of his neck. "Uh… I guess you could say that. Thanks."

Olivia was watching Alex closely trying to figure out what she was thinking. Alex seemed to be doing the same thing. Suddenly feeling like the proverbial third wheel, Brian decided it was time to leave. He reached out and took Olivia's hand. Out of habit, he was about to pull her close when piercing blue eyes flashed. He coughed and let go.

"Well, um… I should probably get going and let you get some rest. You can give me a call and let me know… what you need or..." He trailed off unsure what would be expected of him. _'This was such a cluster fuck!'_ he thought.

Olivia nodded. "I'll be in touch. Thanks for coming by, Brian."

"No problem." He said with a friendly smile.

Alex watched Olivia walk him to the door. She heard a few soft words exchanged between them before the door closed. When Olivia returned to the living room, she found Alex sitting on the sofa with her head lying back staring at the ceiling. She carefully sat down next to her and took her hand.

"You okay?"

Alex kept staring at the ceiling. "I'm scared out of my mind, Liv."

Olivia had a good idea, but asked anyway. "What are you afraid of, sweetheart?"

Alex let out a bitter laugh. "What aren't I afraid of is a better question."

Olivia ran her thumb over the delicate hand in her own. "Talk to me."

Alex turned her head and looked at Olivia with tearful eyes. The sight nearly broke Olivia's heart in two.

"I'm afraid to want this."

"This meaning… me or…"

"All of it. I'm afraid of all of it." She allowed her tears to fall freely. She closed her eyes as Olivia gently wiped them away and cupped her cheek. She closed her eyes for a moment and leaned into the touch.

"I'm between a rock and a hard place, Liv. I'm in love with you and I'm already falling in love with the thought of this child… _your_ child."

Olivia swallowed hard wondering if this was the moment Alex would finally decide she didn't want this. "And that's a… bad thing?"

"It is if I lose you." She took Olivia's hand and kissed the palm. "If I lose you, I think it just might kill me."

Olivia pulled her into her arms and held her. She ignored the burning in her side and held her tight. She pulled back and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She tried to put as much love and emotion into the kiss as possible. She needed Alex to feel just how much she loved her. She finally pulled back and rested their foreheads together.

"You, Alexandra Cabot, are the love of my life. As long as you want me, you have me."

"It's not that simple anymore, Olivia."

"It is to me."

"Olivia, now there is Brian Cassidy who…"

"Who knows exactly how I feel about you. I told him that _you _were the one. I also told him that you would be a big part of my life and this baby's life."

Alex snorted. "That must have gone over really well."

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "Actually, it did. No matter what people might think, Brian has always been a stand-up guy with me."

Alex sighed heavily still looking worried. Olivia cupped her face between her hands and looked her in the eyes. "I know this hasn't been easy for you and I'm asking you to deal with so much more than you should have to. You can't know how sorry I am for putting us… all of us… in this situation."

Alex shook her head and started to speak only to have Olivia's fingers cover her mouth. "Just let me say this. I know this isn't how we pictured things working out for us, but you told me that you loved me. You said you were all in and I believed you. We have waited far too long and fought too hard to get to this place. I may be selfish, but I'm not willing to give you up, Alex. I just can't."

Alex let out a long deep breath. She was quiet for a long moment before her lips quirked slightly upward. "I guess being a little selfish couldn't hurt anyone."

Olivia smiled softly. "We will figure this mess out together. I promise. Okay?"

"Okay."

They sat and stared out the large windows at the evening skyline. It was beautiful.

"Hey, Alex?"

"Yeah."

"The baby and I are hungry."

A moment passed and Alex laughed out loud. Olivia joined in.

"So it begins."

TBC...

* * *

A/N: Thanks to all of you who decided to keep reading my little story. I appreciate the encouraging words and insightful reviews.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: As always, thank you for reading and reviewing. Here's the next chapter. Love it or hate it, let me know.

* * *

Chapter 16: The Myth of Closure

It was the day before Alex and Olivia were set to leave on their vacation and things were finally looking up. Alex and Olivia had sat down together and really talked. It wasn't the easiest conversation to have, but it had been worth it. They had both revealed their insecurities about their relationship and how the baby and Brian Cassidy's presence in their life would affect their future. There had been a lot of crying, frustration, and even a little anger, but they had gotten through it and were better off because of it. With that behind them for the time being, the couple was looking forward to spending some much-needed time alone together.

The destination of said vacation was still unknown to Olivia. No matter how hard Olivia had tried, she couldn't get enough details out of the attorney to guess the location. Alex had stumped her at every turn. She couldn't even guess by the clothes they were taking because Alex had snuck over to Olivia's place and packed for her. Alex was determined to keep the snoopy detective in the dark.

The only detail Olivia had been able to decipher was that the location involved water. That seemed to be the only reason they would need the bathing suits she caught Alex attempting to hide. Besides that little tidbit, she had nothing. Seeing Alex so excited and determined to keep their trip a secret finally made Olivia decide to give up the guessing game and allow the blonde to have her way. If Alex wanted to keep their location a surprise for her, so be it. Olivia knew she was in good hands.

Olivia had just finished sending Brian a quick text to let him know that she'd be away for the next week. She didn't really feel like she owed him an explanation, but she figured it was a good idea to start the relationship between them off on a positive note. Alex was busy packing the last of their toiletries while Olivia sat on the bed. When Olivia asked to help, Alex put her in charge of supervising and double checking the list Alex had made. In reality, what that actually meant was Olivia was to continue to sit on the bed and watch Alex finish packing.

Olivia wanted to be annoyed with how protective Alex was being, but she actually found it endearing. Alex had even contacted Olivia's doctor and discussed the possibility of taking her on a little trip. When the doctor assured Alex that Olivia would be fine as long as she wasn't doing anything strenuous, Alex had gone into over protective mode. Olivia hadn't lifted so much as a hairbrush since.

"Alex, how long did you say we would be gone?" Olivia asked out of the blue.

Alex looked up and blew her hair out of her face and poked her head out of the closet. "What was that babe?"

Olivia had to stretch her neck to see the blonde around the mountain of luggage that seemed to be constantly growing. "I asked how long we were going to be gone because it looks like we're never coming back. Have you ever heard of over-packing, Alex?"

Alex stuck her tongue out at her and continued to pack a small carry-on bag. "I am not over-packing. We will be in an undisclosed location for the next ten days. Are you getting cold feet about going, Liv?"

"Let me think for a second. Ten long days and _nights_, alone in some secret location that is probably going to be absolutely amazing, with the beautiful, incredibly sensual, and sexy Alexandra Cabot…." Olivia pretended to think. "Hmmm… I don't know. I might need some convincing."

Alex stopped what she was doing and climbed up on the bed. She pushed Olivia back until she was hovering just over the brunette. Her blue eyes were twinkling with mischief behind black frames. She leaned down and claimed Olivia's soft pouty lips in a heart stopping kiss. The kiss lasted until they both needed to break away to breathe. Alex moved in closer planting wet lingering kisses along Olivia's jaw down her neck while her hand slipped under Olivia's shirt and found firm breast. She brushed a thumb over an erect nipple earning a deep moan from the detective and flashed a feral grin.

They hadn't been able to make love the last few days due to Olivia's injuries. Headaches, nausea, and sore ribs had a way of putting a damper on any kind of foreplay. Although it had only been a few days, the tension was definitely mounting between them. With everything else going on in their lives, it was easy to forget that they had only been together for a few weeks. They were practically still in the 'honeymoon phase' and they really needed to be alone to reconnect.

"Are you convinced yet?" Alex growled as she marked Olivia's neck, quickly slipping a hand along Olivia's side causing her to shiver.

Olivia moaned. "Oh yes, Counselor."

Alex leaned back in for another kiss. Before she could reach her goal, the sound of the phone rang out throughout the apartment. They both recognized the double ring as the doorman from downstairs.

"Ugh!" Olivia groaned in frustration. This was the most action she had gotten in days. "Who the fuck could that be?"

Alex giggled. "That better not be your baby daddy."

Olivia pushed Alex away giving her a mock glare.

"Oh come on, that was funny. Just admit it." Alex continued to laugh.

"I admit nothing." Olivia said trying to hide her own laugh, but failing.

The phone rang out again. "It's probably someone bringing some files from my office. Hold that thought." She pecked Olivia on the lips and hopped off the bed grabbing the phone as she headed downstairs. "Yes?"

"Good afternoon, Ms. Cabot. There is a gentleman here by the name of Elliot Stabler. Shall I allow him up?"

"That's fine. Thank you, James."

"You're welcome. Have a good day, Ms. Cabot."

Alex placed the handset back down and cursed under her breath. The men in Olivia's life seemed to be popping up everywhere these days. What in the hell could Elliot Stabler want from Olivia after all this time? Olivia had told her that her old partner hadn't called even once since he'd left nearly a year ago. A few short minutes later, there was a soft knock. Alex looked through the peep-hole. She opened the door to find Elliot standing there.

"Elliot. What a surprise."

"Hey Alex."

Years of proper social etiquette had Alex running on autopilot. She opened the door and stepped aside. "Please come in."

"Thanks. Kathy told me about Liv being in the hospital. Cragen said she was staying with you and gave me your address. I hope you don't mind dropping by."

"Of course not. You're more than welcome."

On the outside, Alex was making polite conversation while on the inside all she kept thinking was how this man had hurt Olivia by just disappearing from her life. Who does that to someone they love? She quickly gave herself a mental kick for being a hypocrite. She'd disappeared on Olivia too; more than once and the brunette had forgiven her. Who was she to say that Elliot didn't deserve forgiveness too?

"Is Liv around?"

"Yes, she is. She was just resting while I packed."

"You going somewhere _again_, Cabot?"

Alex's step faltered for a split second before she recovered. The way he had said '_again' _struck her in an odd way.

She gave him a careful smile. "Actually, not just me. Olivia and I are taking a vacation… together."

It was his turn to be caught off guard. "Liv? A vacation? I can't believe it. She never takes vacations."

"Well, sometimes things change." Alex said. "It's been a stressful few weeks for both of us, not to mention Olivia could really use this time to rest and recharge. It's exactly what we both need."

Elliot nodded silently.

"If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'll go let Olivia know that you're here. I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."

"Thanks."

When Alex went back to the bedroom, she found Olivia coming out of the bathroom.

"You left a hickey on my neck." She mock glared. "You're in trouble, Counselor."

When Alex didn't respond, she looked up at her and frowned at the serious look on the blonde's face. "Who was at the door? You didn't make one of the newbies cry again did you? You have to stop scaring the young ADA's, Alex."

Alex shook her head. "Elliot is here to see you."

Olivia stood unmoving for a moment. Alex took a step closer to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I guess I'm just surprised. I had finally gotten used to the idea that he wasn't going to be in my life anymore. Now, he's back."

"If you don't want to see him right now, I'll tell him you're not up to having visitors or…"

Olivia shook her head. "No. It's okay. Of course, I want to see him. I've missed him. I'm just a little surprised, you know? Why now?"

Alex bit her lip. "He said Kathy told him you had been in the hospital. He wanted to check up on you."

Olivia snorted. "That was over three days ago."

"Does he know about…" She gestured to Olivia's stomach.

Olivia shook her head. "No. I saw Kathy before we left the hospital, but I didn't tell her. The only other people who know are Brian and Serena."

"Do you _want_ to tell him?"

Olivia thought for a moment then shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Elliot can be a little judgmental at times. I don't know if I'm up for that today."

Alex nodded and took Olivia's hand and kissed the palm gently. "I'll stand behind whatever you want to do; I just don't want you upset."

Olivia looked at her then smiled. She kissed Alex on the cheek. "You're so good to me."

"I love you."

"I love you too." She sighed before pulling Alex towards the door. "Come on, babe. We have company."

Alex snorted. "_You_ have company. He didn't come to see me."

"You're my girlfriend. My company _is _your company."

"Completely debatable."

"Would you stop being such a lawyer and come on." Olivia said rolling her eyes playfully. Alex just laughed.

They were still teasing one another as they made their way back down to the living room. They found Elliot standing by the windows taking in the view.

"Hey stranger." Olivia approached him with soft smile. She gave him a gently hug still very mindful of her sore ribs.

Elliot grinned. "How ya doing, Liv? I heard a perp tried to make you into a human Frisbee."

Olivia laughed. "He tried, but I'm good. Alex is taking good care of me. How about you? How's life in Queens treating you?"

She pulled back and gave him a friendly pat on the arm. She took in his appearance. He looked thinner; he'd aged a bit too.

"I'm okay. Being a soccer dad is taking some getting used to."

Olivia moved over to the sofa as he followed and sat in the nearby chair. Alex thought now would be a good time to make a graceful exit.

"Liv, I have a few things I need to take care of before tomorrow. I'm going to go up to my office and make a few calls." Alex said touching Olivia's shoulder.

Olivia instinctively reached for her hand. "Do you need me to help with anything?"

Alex smiled warmly. "No. I think I can handle a couple of calls on my own. Besides, you're on 'nothing strenuous' duty remember?"

"If I do anything _less_ strenuous, I'll be dead."

Alex laughed as she leaned in and kissed her softly. "You two have fun catching up. I'll be in my office if you need anything." She glanced over at Elliot. "It was good seeing you, Elliot."

"You too, Alex."

There was a bit of tension in the room after Alex left. Olivia decided to wait and allow Elliot to do the talking. He had sought her out after all.

"So… you and Alex huh?"

Olivia couldn't stop the smile that formed on her face. She nodded. "Yeah. Me and Alex."

"Is this thing… you know… serious?" He looked uncomfortable.

"If by _thing_ you mean a relationship? Yes, it is."

"Can't say I saw that coming." He snorted.

Olivia frowned. "You'd be the only one. Half the squad room had placed bets on when it would happen. Apparently, we argue like an old married couple."

"I think I might recall a few of those legendary arguments." He nodded. "Alex told me you two were getting ready to go on a vacation."

She couldn't help grinning again. It happened every time she talked about Alex. She figured this is what happens when a person was really happy.

Elliot noticed the way Olivia's face lit up and her eyes twinkled and it stirred something inside him.

"Yeah. She has a little over two weeks before she starts her new job with Major Cases. Cragen has me on ass duty anyway so I took some personal time. Lord knows I have enough built up from over the years. I don't know where we're going. Alex is surprising me."

"So she's taking _you_ on vacation?" He asked in a teasing tone.

Olivia laughed lightly. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. Can't take myself if I don't know where I'm going, right?"

"I figured it had to be her idea. I'm surprised she was able to talk you into going. You hate going on vacations."

"I don't _hate_ going on vacation. Actually, I love traveling. I just never had anyone special to go with before." Olivia said shrugging her shoulders.

"And Cabot is that someone… special?"

Olivia blushed. "Yes, she is."

Elliot gave her a slick grin and shook his head. "Come on, Liv. Stop yanking my chain. This is me. You can tell me the truth. What's really going on with you two?"

Olivia was a little confused. She didn't know what Elliot was getting at. "What do you mean? I just told you. We care about each other. We're a couple."

Elliot chuckled. "Okay then. If you say so."

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

Elliot shrugged his shoulders. "I've just never known you to do the whole relationship thing. Your idea of a relationship was a couple of dates in a row if the guy was lucky. Notice I said guy because you never dated women before either."

"Actually, I did date a few women. I just never broadcasted it. As for the rest… well… a lot has changed since you've been gone."

There was an awkward silence that fell between them. Olivia couldn't put her finger on it, but something felt off with her old partner. Unable to take the silence anymore, she finally asked the question that had been on her mind since Alex had told her he was here.

"Why did you really come to see me today, El?"

He frowned. "I heard you had gotten hurt on the job. You're my best friend. I wanted to see that you were alright."

"I'm your best friend? I called you every day for weeks after you left. I left dozens of messages and you never once called me back. Now you just show up here out of the blue? I'm not stupid. What is this really about, Elliot?"

They stared at one another for a few moments before he abruptly stood and walked back to the window.

"Alright. I'll admit I was caught off guard when Kathy told me about you and Alex."

Olivia frowned with confusion. "That's why you came to see me… because you found out Alex and I were together?"

He laughed nervously. "I came to talk some sense into you, Liv."

Olivia froze. "Talk some sense into me? Why do you think you'd need to do that?"

"I know I haven't been around, Liv. I know I wasn't there for you to come to about this, but you can't possibly think this… this… _thing_ with Alex will last."

"You think that's why I ended up with Alex; because you weren't there… because I was lonely or something?" Olivia almost laughed.

"Liv… come on…"

"I love Alex and she loves me. That has _nothing_ to do with you, Elliot. I know you might have your religious issues with it, but…"

"Cabot doesn't really love you." He said abruptly.

Olivia was a little shocked by the statement. "And why is that, Elliot?"

"I know you've always had a thing for Alex. She's a beautiful woman; smart and all that. I get it, but you gotta know that Cabot isn't like us. She's from a totally different world. This little fling is probably fine right now when it's just her and you, but what happens when you start to really get serious about her and…"

"I'm going to stop you right there before you shove your foot even farther into your mouth."

He held up his hands. "I'm just saying that you should really think about this before you get serious about her."

She sat back and watched him with an odd look on her face. She didn't know whether to be pissed or saddened. "I hate to break it to you, Elliot but Alex and I are already serious." _'More than you could know'_ she thought to herself.

"Look, this is what you always do, Liv. You meet someone and get all wrapped up in them. Then you get yourself hurt. You're like family to me and I don't want to see that happen again."

"Elliot, I know you've always thought of yourself as my big brother or something and you think you're doing the right thing at the moment, but you couldn't be more wrong about Alex."

He lowered his voice and leaned into her personal space. "You don't think Cabot will toss you aside when it comes to her career or family expectations? She's a Cabot, Liv."

"Trust me, El. I know who Alex is. And to answer your question; we've already disclosed our relationship and Alex already told her family about us. Her Uncle Bill and Aunt Julia came by yesterday and had lunch with us. They're wonderful people." She told him calmly.

"So two people from her family were decent to you. But trust me… those people are all about appearances and coming from the right family. Cabot can probably trace her ancestors back to the fucking Mayflower. You think she's gonna stay with someone who had a drunk…"

He quickly stopped himself as if remembering who he was talking to.

Olivia tilted her head and nodded slowly. "Go on. You can say it. Alex couldn't possibly love someone like me; someone who had a drunk for a mother and a rapist for a father. Is that what you were going to say?"

"Liv, that came out wrong. You know I would never…"

"Just for the record, Alex already knows all of that. I told her years ago… and unlike _you_ she has never once thrown it in my face… even when we were at each other's throats."

"That's not what I meant, Liv. You know I don't feel that way. It just came out wrong. I'm just trying to look out for you."

Olivia was quiet for a long time before she spoke again. "You know… I've had a lot of time this past year to just… sit and think about things. It's funny what a little perspective will do for you. I see things more clearly now."

"Then you get what I'm trying to tell you then?"

Olivia shook her head and ignored his question. "Is that how you always wanted me to feel?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Liv?"

"There's this tiny part of me that feels like you always wanted me to believe that I wasn't worthy enough for anyone's love… that way you could have me all to yourself."

He turned and glared at her. She could tell he still had that anger problem. She could see it simmering just under the surface.

"How could you say something like that? I only want what's best for you and you know I love Kathy and my kids. That's not what this is about!" His voice rose with every word.

"I never said you didn't love your wife and kids. I know you do." Olivia said calmly. "But you have to realize that I don't need you to look out for me, Elliot. You have Kathy and your family. I have Alex now. That's the way it's supposed to be."

"She left you!" He snapped. "She left you without even looking back and I was the one there for you. Do you remember that? You could barely get through the day and no one else knew you were pining over Cabot, but I knew. I knew and I was there."

Olivia had to admit. That one hurt. He knew that was a sore spot and it struck a nerve. "You're right, Elliot. Alex did leave… but so did you."

She saw the moment her words hit him. It was almost as if he hadn't realized it. She could see him cringe for just a moment before recovering. "That was different, Liv. You know why I left the job."

"I understand that you had to leave the job, Elliot. What I couldn't understand is why you completely shut me out. Twelve years and I didn't even rate a phone call?"

"Cabot left and shut you out and you're banging her now. So what's the big difference? Why am I suddenly the only bad guy?" He spat back needing to defend himself.

A part of Olivia wanted to ask him why he kept comparing himself to Alex, but she already knew why. He would never admit it, but she knew that Elliot was jealous of Alex. He was probably a bit jealous of them both because they'd finally found something that he'd never had nor would ever have with a woman he had spent over twenty years with. He just wouldn't let Kathy in. The thought made her sad for him.

Olivia had grown tired and all she wanted to do was find Alex, curl up in her arms. She stood and looked the man standing in front of her in the eyes. He wasn't the Elliot she had known and loved… or maybe he was. Maybe he had always been this selfish and bitter. Maybe she had been so desperate for _someone_… _anyone _to call family that she'd overlooked those things all these years. But none of that mattered now. She had Alex and she had this baby and that was more than enough.

"You know what the difference between you and Alex is, Elliot?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "She came to me and owned up to her mistakes. She was honest and made no excuses, but most importantly she asked for forgiveness. She asked for forgiveness even though she wasn't the only one at fault. I had failed her too. I wasn't there for her either."

He laughed bitterly and shook his head. "What? Cabot says she's sorry and you fall at her feet and forget everything? I never thought you'd be so gullible."

"You know, I've learned something else since you've been gone. There is a difference between forgiveness and forgetting. Thinking back, you always expected everyone to just carry on and _forget_ about whatever you had done or said. You didn't have Fin's back when things went south with Chester, but you expected him to just forget that you went behind his back instead of trusting him. You accused me of being a weak partner when I wouldn't put a bullet through your skull to get to Gitano and suddenly it was me with the problem. You didn't blink an eye when Munch, Fin, and I put our careers and pensions on the line after you lost your cool and went off half cocked after a perp for personal reasons."

"Wait, that was about Lizzie! That son of a bitch had a picture of my kid."

"In your mind, there was always a reason. I didn't matter if the rest of us had to deal with the consequences. You pulled crap like that all the time and you just expected us to forget it and move on. Alex asked me to _forgive_ her… and I did, just like she forgave me, but she would never ask me to forget. She wouldn't want me to because that would make my forgiveness less meaningful."

"Liv…"

"Thanks for finally checking in Elliot. I'm glad you're doing okay. I hate to cut this short but Alex and I need to finish packing. Tell Kathy and the kids that I said hello."

She held the door open waiting for him to take his leave, effectively putting an end to their conversation.

He shook his head. He walked through the door before turning back to finally met her eyes. "Well… I guess I'll see you around then."

She knew she wouldn't so she didn't say it. "Take care of yourself, Elliot," was the only thing she could think to say to him before closing the door. Turned out closure was so overrated.

* * *

Olivia found Alex sitting at her desk in the study. She didn't need to say anything. She could tell by the furious look on Alex's face that she had heard most of the conversation. Alex wanted to go chase Elliot Stabler down and kick the shit out of him. So many things made sense now. She understood the cause of so many of Olivia's insecurities had come from a man who swore to care so deeply for her. Although she had an irrational urge to commit premeditated murder, it quickly went away when she saw the look in Olivia's eyes. Olivia was more important than maiming Elliot Stabler. She was more important than anything.

Wordlessly, she took Olivia by the hand and led her back to the bedroom where they climbed on the bed and held one another. Olivia laid her head on Alex's chest as the blonde stroked her hair.

"Tell me what to do." Alex whispered. "Tell me what to do to make it better."

"There's nothing to do, Alex… at least nothing for _you_ to do. This is Elliot's problem, not ours."

Alex was a little surprised at how okay Olivia seemed about it all. She didn't even sound sad. She just sounded matter of fact.

"I knew Elliot Stabler was never all that fond of me. I just never knew he disliked me _that_ much." Alex said.

"None of that was really about you, Alex."

"I'm sorry but it sort of sounded that way. He wasn't exactly singing my praises down there."

"He just used you as the scapegoat. This is about him not being able to handle what's going on in his life right now. He doesn't know it, but Kathy already told me that they've split up. I think it's for good this time. He finally pushed her too far."

Alex sighed. "I hate that for them. I can understand where some of that misguided anger may have been coming from now."

"I'm sure that's a big part of it. The other part is the fact that Elliot always had a problem with me finding my own happiness…especially when the happiness didn't revolve around him. I was allowed to be happy as long as he was somehow the cause of it, whether it was him sharing his kids with me, allowing his wife to befriend me, or…."

"Or him loving you from afar?" Alex asked.

"Maybe. To be honest, I don't think he _really_ loves me… at least not like that. Elliot always had a habit of projecting his feelings on to me when he and Kathy were having problems. Whether I wanted to be or not, I was always the other woman in his life. When things would go south with them, I'd step in and try to help smooth things over. I was his partner, but sometimes it felt like I was their marriage counselor too."

"That's not healthy."

"No, it isn't. Elliot and I just got too wrapped up in each other's lives. He never figured out that Kathy should have been the one he was closest to, not me." She looked up at Alex. "Now, he has to figure out how to fix his own life. I can't be the person who does that for him anymore."

Alex held her tighter and kissed the top of her head. "Is it wrong that I _really_ want to kick his ass in spite of all that?"

Olivia snorted. "No, but what would be the point? The man is obviously in a bad place right now."

"I'd feel better." Alex said dryly.

Olivia laughed out loud this time. Alex was glad to see that the brunette really did seem to be okay with everything.

"It is what it is, Alex. We all knew that Elliot could be a selfish son of a bitch when it suited him. Fin even called him on it once."

Alex raised a brow. "Really? When was this?"

"Elliot suspected Fin of tipping off Chester Lake when we were trying to bring Chester in for questioning. Instead of trusting Fin, he went behind Fin's back and dumped his personal phone. Fin had been telling the truth of course. When Elliot tried to apologize for not trusting him, Fin basically ignored him and told him it wouldn't matter because Elliot would be the same 'rat-bastard' the next day."

"I knew I liked Detective Tutuola for a reason."

Olivia playfully hit Alex's arm. "Stop it. Besides, I'm not innocent in this. People treat you the way you allow them to. I chose to look the other way because he was the only family I thought I'd ever have. That was my fault, no one else's." She sighed. All the emotional talks had worn her out. "But I'm no longer that person and I won't overlook that kind of behavior anymore. I can't have that kind of negativity in my life, especially now that I have you and this little one coming." She placed a hand over her belly. "Either he gets his shit together or we won't see one another. It's that simple."

Alex placed her hand over Olivia's. "He's wrong, you know? I'll never leave you." Alex whispered. "You're stuck with me."

She felt Olivia tighten her embrace. "I know that, Alex. I meant what I told him. I love you and I know that you love me… and to hell with everybody else."

Alex smiled. "You're right but… I still reserve the right to kick his ass."

Olivia laughed. "Deal."

* * *

The next morning rolled around and the couple was up early and excited about beginning their vacation. Olivia had been sure that she would finally find out where Alex was taking her when they headed to JFK. There was no way Alex could keep her in the dark at the airport, right?

_Wrong. _

A driver had picked them up from the apartment and drove them directly to a private plane with a full crew. Passports, luggage, and boarding passes were already taken care of. When they boarded, they were addressed by a young flight attendant who seemed to just appear out of nowhere. Olivia thought it was a little freaky.

"Hello Miss Cabot."

"Hi Suzy. This is my girlfriend, Olivia Benson."

The young redhead smiled and greeted Olivia politely. "Would either of you care for a beverage?"

Alex smirked at the struggling emotions on the detective's face. Olivia was faced with the sudden annoyance of being outwitted yet again while being in complete awe of her surroundings.

"Umm… just some Ginger Ale for me. Thank you."

"And for you, Miss Cabot?"

"My usual will be fine, Suzy. Thank you."

Returning her attention to Olivia, Alex bit her lip nervously. Olivia was giving her that look again. It was a look that Alex was getting used to seeing… at least lately. It was Olivia's _'what the fuck?'_ look.

"What?"

"Suzy? Your usual?" Olivia raised a brow. "You seem very familiar with these surroundings, Counselor."

Alex nodded. "That would be a correct assessment, Detective."

"Do you own this plane, Alex?"

Olivia had become very good at just asking Alex blunt questions lately. Alex was trying not to be caught off guard by it.

"Technically, this is the company jet. It can be used by all the members of my family."

"Oh. Okay."

Suzy had come back with their drinks. She also informed them that they would be taking off in a few moments.

Alex and Olivia buckled up and sipped their drinks. Alex was a little thrown by Olivia's relaxed response.

"Just… okay? You're not going to give me a hard time about this?"

Olivia grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "Nope. I've decided to accept my fate. You're my sugar mama. It is what it is."

Alex nearly spit out her drink. She glared at Olivia as she wiped her mouth. Olivia just laughed.

* * *

Alex could vaguely hear the voice of the pilot speaking as she emerged from her nap. She slipped her glasses back on and stretched out her stiff muscles. They were finally reaching the end of their ten hour flight. She looked to her right and smiled. Olivia was wide awake and staring out the cabin window.

"Did you sleep at all?"

Olivia nodded. "Yeah. I woke up a couple of hours ago. I watched a movie then I tried to get the crew to tell me where we were heading. They all denied me of course. What did you do, Counselor, threaten their jobs or something?" She asked playfully.

Alex readjusted her seat and buckled back up as instructed. "No. I would never threaten anyone."

When Olivia continued to stare at her, she smirked. "I simply had them sign an agreement to not disclose any information regarding this trip. That is not a threat."

Olivia shook her head and laughed. "You are such a lawyer!"

Alex gave her a feral grin before kissing her lips. "You will find that I have many skills, Detective."

Olivia eyes twinkled. "I can't wait to find out…" She was about to reclaim Alex's lips when she abruptly pulled away. "but only after I find out where we're going. Come on, Alex. We're about to land. Just tell me already!"

Alex thought she would never see the day that her big bad detective would be whining like an unhappy child. She laughed. "Alright, you big baby. Take a look out the window."

Olivia looked out the small cabin window and saw the most amazing view of a clear blue sea and incredible white sands. She could feel Alex lean over her shoulder and kiss her just below the ear.

"Welcome to Greece, darling."

TBC...

* * *

Up next... the vacation.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: I'm so glad so many of you are still reading and following this story. I appreciate the feedback. As always, let me know your thoughts.

* * *

Chapter 17: Mykonos

A brief car ride had taken them to the Saint John Resort in southwest Mykonos. They would be spending the next nine days in a beautiful villa with their own personal maid, chef, and concierge service. Olivia had seen the inside of some very nice hotels before, but this place was something totally different. The villa was spacious and open, with a panoramic view of St. John's Bay. They had direct access to their own private beach facing the gorgeous Aegean Sea. This place was practically decadent.

"Alex, this place is…unbelievable. It's beautiful here."

Alex grinned very proud of herself. She tugged on Olivia's hand as she continued showing her around. She pointed forward.

"We have an infinity pool if you don't want to go into the sea. There's a hot tub. We can sunbathe over there." She pointed again in the opposite direction. "Oh! And there is a hammock. It's an incredible spot to watch the sunset. You haven't seen a sunset until you watch it disappear into the Aegean. It's breathtaking."

Olivia was speechless trying to take it all in. "I don't know what to do first."

Alex giggled at how childlike Olivia sounded. "We can do whatever you want."

Olivia raised a brow and glanced around. "Where did the bell-boy and the maids go?"

"They have quarters a little ways down the beach. They only come when we call. Right now it's just you…." She leaned in and kissed Olivia just below the ear. "… and me and the sounds of the sea."

Olivia grinned. "Oh really. Maybe we should take advantage of all this privacy then."

Alex found that particularly sensitive spot on Olivia's neck and made her mark. "You know… I've never made love to a pregnant woman before."

Olivia pulled Alex tightly into her arms and captured her lips. It didn't take very long for things to heat up between them. Olivia pulled back breathlessly. "I think I know what I want to do first." She said pulling Alex back towards the bedroom.

* * *

"Olivia, baby, you're going to kill me! You have to let me… rest for a second." Alex was struggling to breathe as she stared up at the ceiling. "I think I'm paralyzed. I can't feel my legs."

Olivia laughed moving over to straddle her. "You're the one that said you wanted to make love to a pregnant chick."

"I said woman, not chick. Chick is such a chauvinistic thing to say."

"You can't be that tired if you're still using big words like chauvinistic." Olivia teased. She ran her fingers along Alex's jaw down to her breast taking time to circle each erect bud causing Alex to groan.

"We've been at this for hours… and you're pregnant. How is it that you're not tired?"

Olivia leaned in and planted wet kisses in the same path her fingers had taken. When she took a sensitive pink nipple into her mouth, Alex nearly arched off the bed. "What can I say? I have a lot of stamina… and I haven't been able to touch you like this in a week. I've missed you."

"Oh baby, I've missed you too…" Alex leered at Olivia's perky breast. "… all of you." Finding energy from somewhere, she lifted up and flipped them over.

Olivia let out a surprised laugh. "I thought you were tired?"

"Just needed to catch my breath." Alex said already making her way down Olivia's body. She took her time exploring Olivia's ample breast. "Hello girls."

"Ah!" Olivia grabbed a handful of blonde hair as Alex bit her sensitive nipples. "Never would have pegged you as a breast woman, Counselor."

"Mmm… I never was before but these…" She lavished them with kisses making Olivia laugh. "… are just magnificent and just think, they're going to get even bigger."

The sound of Olivia's laughter could be heard throughout the villa followed closely by a deep sensuous moan as they started all over again.

* * *

"You know, we should just stay here forever." Olivia said sipping what she called her 'fruity drink with the cute umbrella'. Even though she couldn't have alcohol, Olivia had found that she really didn't miss it. The virgin drinks were still amazing.

Alex looked over at Olivia and smiled. The detective was completely relaxed lying back in a lawn chair sunbathing on deck as the yacht drifted in the vast Aegean. The older woman was smiling with her sunglasses in place wearing the sexiest blue bikini Alex had ever seen. It was hard to even imagine that she was pregnant at all, let alone ten weeks. There didn't appear to be a single inch of fat on that incredibly toned body. If this was any indication, Olivia was going to make one gorgeous pregnant woman.

Alex found herself looking forward to the months to come. She had already started fussing over Olivia's diet, making sure she ate balanced nutritional meals. Alex was becoming more and more invested in this pregnancy by the day.

"That can be arranged if you'd like," Alex said sipping her own virgin drink. She had decided that if Olivia couldn't have alcohol, neither would she.

"Yeah right. We'd just quit our jobs and spend the rest of our lives on a resort in the middle of nowhere? Not gonna happen, Counselor."

"Why not? You think you'll grow tired of me?"

Olivia snorted. "Hardly! We'd both be bored out of our minds and probably end up killing each other."

Alex had to laugh. "True, but it's been wonderful just getting away hasn't it?"

Olivia nodded. "It's been great. I can't tell you the last time I spent the entire day… doing nothing. I mean, I have done nothing but eat and sip on these things all day." She said holding up her drink.

Alex turned her head and pushed her sunglasses down her nose. Her blue eyes twinkled. "You've done nothing today, Detective? If I recall correctly, you did me… several times I might add."

"I meant chores, smarty pants. Making love to you is _never_ a chore."

"Good save, Detective."

"I try." Olivia stared out at the clear water for a while. "Hey, Alex can I ask you something?"

"You just did."

"Ha. Ha. You're just a regular comedienne aren't you?"

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"Why did you name this huge boat after yourself?"

Alex laughed out loud. She had been wondering when Olivia would finally mention it.

"It seems a bit narcissistic doesn't it?"

Olivia frowned in the cutest way. "Just a little."

"Well, I didn't actually name this yacht after myself. It belonged to my father."

Olivia nodded in understanding. "So he's responsible for _'The Alexandra'_ then?"

"Yes."

"You were a daddy's girl?" Olivia teased.

Alex smiled wistfully. "Yes, I was. He was my hero. The Grayson blonde and blue eyed genes are very strong. Everyone said that I _looked_ just like my mother, but I wanted to _be_ just like my father."

"What did he look like?"

"A lot like you actually." She grinned at Olivia's surprised expressions. "He was tall, with dark hair and dark eyes. He and my mother were the polar opposites physically. They made quite the striking couple."

"Sort of like us?"

Alex nodded. "They say that daughters search for their father in their mates. I think they might be right. You share a lot of his qualities."

Olivia felt honored. "You don't talk about him very much. Tell me about him."

"His name was Alexander Fitzgerald Cabot III.

"Oh my god. There were three other Alex Cabot's before you?"

This made Alex laugh. "Yes and I'm going to pretend that you mean that in a good way."

"Of course I did." Olivia pulled Alex's hand to her lips and kissed it. "The world would be woefully empty without an Alex Cabot in it."

"You're such a charmer."

"Come on. Tell me… what was he like?"

"He was a wonderful father. He was always patient and incredibly loving. He always expected me to do my best, but he always made sure that I knew he was proud of me just because I was his daughter. As a man… I would describe him as a person of integrity and honor. He believed in standing up for the little guy. He had an unwavering faith in the legal system and everything it stood for. My mother used to call him a walking oxymoron because he was a lawyer down to the bone but an eternal optimist as well. He always saw the bright side of things no matter what. I don't think I really took after him in that respect."

Olivia tilted her head thoughtfully. "I think you're wrong. I'd say you're very much your father's daughter."

Alex blushed. "Thank you."

Olivia reached over and kissed her hand again. "Thank you for being you."

Alex cleared her throat and changed the subject. "So, do you want to know what we will be doing tomorrow?"

"Are you going to tell me or is that going to be another surprise?"

Alex arched a brow over her shades. "Would you like to know or be surprised? It's up to you this time."

"I think I want to know. You've surprised me enough already."

"Tomorrow, we are taking a short flight over to Athens to see the ruins and take in the sites."

Olivia's face lit up. "Oh my god! When I was a kid I always wanted to see the…."

"Parthenon. You read all about Greek mythology at school and you became fascinated with Athena, the patron goddess of the city." Alex said easily.

Olivia pulled her sunglasses away and stared at her. "I never told you that. How did you know?"

Alex swallowed trying to think of something to say. "Umm…"

"Alex?"

Alex silently cursed her loose lips. "We had been working around the clock on the Johanson case for nearly two weeks. The suspect was obsessed with Greek mythology. Other than Munch, no one really knew much about mythology… except you. You were like a walking encyclopedia."

Olivia vaguely remembered. "I remember the guys teasing me about it. The called me a 'closet nerd' for weeks after that. But how did you know that? You weren't there… were you?"

"I overheard you while I was in Cragen's office one night. Everyone else had gone home to rest. It was just you and Munch left. I heard you tell him that when you were a kid, you wanted to grow up to be just like Athena because she was beautiful, wise, and strong… everything you wanted to be." She could feel Olivia's eyes on her and she looked away bashfully. "You are all of those things, by the way."

"That's why you chose to bring me to Greece." Olivia stated.

Alex nodded. "I wanted you to see the origins of Athena for yourself."

Something else occurred to Olivia and she frowned. Olivia scratched her temple. "But wait… the Johanson case… that was nearly twelve years ago. You had only been our ADA for a few months then. You hated me. Why would you remember something like that?"

Alex just tilted her head and removed her own sunglasses. Olivia's eyes widened at the intensity of those blue eyes.

"I could _never_ hate you, Olivia." Alex whispered.

Olivia felt her eyes water. "Alex, how long have you been in love with me?"

Alex held her gaze. "How long have I known you?"

"Even then?"

"Even then."

TBC...

* * *

Next Time: More of the girls on vacation


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Here's the next chapter. I don't know if I really like this chapter. The words didn't flow as well in some areas. Like always, let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.

* * *

Chapter 18: Family Reunions

Alex was sitting by the window enjoying the afternoon breeze waiting for Olivia to finish dressing for dinner. They had spent most of the day sight-seeing in Athens. Once they had returned to Mykonos, they had taken a restful nap in the hammock. When they awoke, dinner time was quickly approaching so Alex had sent Olivia off to dress on the other side of the villa. Dinner was going to be yet another surprise. The only thing Alex told her was that dinner would be special.

"Olivia, if you don't hurry we're going to be late!"

"Keep your heels on, Cabot. I'm coming. It might have helped if you told me where we were going."

"I did tell you. We're going to dinner." Alex said gathering her purse. When she turned around, she caught her first glance of Olivia. She stood there with her mouth open.

Olivia looked down at her dress then back at Alex feeling self-conscious. "Is this okay? I assumed we were going somewhere nice since you made a big deal about it."

Alex was still standing there just staring at her. Olivia waved a hand in front of her. "Alex? Hello? Anyone home?"

Alex finally blinked and shook her head. "Wow. Where did _that_ come from? I think I would have remembered if I had packed that dress."

"I saw it in the boutique we went to a couple of days ago. I bought it and had them deliver it yesterday. Thankfully you were out for a swim when it arrived. So what do you think? Did I surprise you this time?"

Alex took Olivia's hand and twirled the brunette around. She allowed her eyes to soak up the knee-length white strapless dress. It showed off Olivia's beautifully tanned skin and voluptuous curves. Alex swallowed hard. "You look… absolutely stunning. You're making it really hard not to drag you back into the bedroom, you know?"

Olivia laughed and placed a sweet kiss on Alex's cheek. "You're sweet and incredibly hot in your own dress. I have always loved you in red."

Alex wore a simple red linen summer dress that fell just above the knee. Olivia shook her head. Alex really did have incredible legs that went on for days. She had to force her mind not to think of how it had felt having those legs wrapped around her just hours before.

"So where are we going for dinner?

"I told you. It's a …"

"A surprise." Olivia finished with a laugh. "I don't know why I even bother."

Alex took her by the hand and led her out to the waiting car. "Don't worry. I promise that you're going to love it. It's by far my favorite place to visit when I come here."

"With that glowing review, I'm sure I'll love it too."

* * *

Olivia took the driver's hand and stepped out of the car followed by Alex. She looked around and took in her surroundings. She saw that they weren't at a restaurant at all; at least she didn't think it was a restaurant. It looked like a vineyard.

"This place is gorgeous. Where are we?"

"This is Château Grayson." Alex said pointing to an elaborate wooden and rail sign above the front gate down the driveway. "It's a vineyard."

Olivia raised a brow. "Grayson as in…"

"Alexandra! Is that you darling?" A voice in the distance interrupted them. Olivia turned and watched as a strikingly beautiful older woman approached them. She was tall and statuesque with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Olivia thought she looked very familiar.

"Aunt Bella!" Alex practically squealed as she they embraced. Olivia watched with intrigue as the two embraced.

The older woman pulled back and held Alex's face in her hands. "Look at you! You look more and more like your mother every day. How I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Aunt Bella." Alex said giving the woman another hug.

Alex finally remembered her manners and turned to Olivia. "Oh!" She reached out and pulled Olivia close. "Aunt Bella, there's someone I want you to meet. This is my girlfriend Olivia Benson. Olivia, this is my aunt, Isabella Grayson."

Olivia was still a little shocked. Alex was full of surprises. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Grayson."

The older blonde flashed a warm smile very reminiscent of Alex's. She waved away Olivia's outstretched hand and pulled the brunette into a friendly embrace.

"No one calls me Mrs. Grayson or Isabella except for my lawyers and my stuffy big sister, Julia. You will call me Bella like everyone else."

Olivia laughed. Only family would have the nerve to dare call Julia Grayson stuffy. "Alright then. It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella."

"The pleasure is all mines dear. As I recall, you're that pretty detective my Alexandra worked with."

Olivia seemed surprised. "Alex mentioned me?"

"Actually I remember you from her funeral. You spoke quite eloquently." Bella said quietly recalling the sad occasion.

Olivia took a breath and nodded. "Yes." Was her only response.

"But I got an earful from Alexandra too. I assume you're the one that my dear niece was daydreaming about for years."

Alex blushed. "Aunt Bella!"

"What? Well you were!" Bella turned back to Olivia and winked. "Every time we spoke on the phone, the conversation somehow always ended up about this frustratingly stubborn female detective that just happened to be unbelievably beautiful. Isn't that how you described her, Alexandra?"

Alex groaned with embarrassment and glared at a smirking Olivia.

"Leave the girl alone, Bell. I rarely get a chance to see my favorite niece and I will not have you running her off when she does decide to grace us with her presence." Came a deep accented voice behind them.

They all turned and saw a thin dark-haired woman approaching. She had tanned olive skin with the most soulful dark eyes. When she smiled, dimples appeared in her high cheek bones. She reminded Olivia of a young Sophia Loren. Alex walked right into the woman's arms and laughed when she found herself lifted off her feet in a bear hug. Olivia's eyes widened at the older woman's strength.

"Welcome back darling!"

"Hi Aunt Theo. How is it that you look younger every time I see you?" Alex said looking the woman over.

Theo laughed joyfully. "Easy darling. I enjoy life… but good wine and athletic sex help too."

Alex laughed heartily as she turned back to Olivia. "Liv, this is my other aunt, Theodora Stavros. Aunt Theo, this is Olivia."

"Wonderful to meet you, Olivia." She gave Olivia a kiss on each cheek. "I'm Bella's much better half of thirty years."

Olivia raised a brow in Alex's direction. '_Well aren't you a load of surprises.'_ Olivia said to herself.

Alex caught the look and knew Olivia was wondering why she had never mentioned the older couple before. It wasn't that she was hiding the fact that she had an aunt in a committed lesbian relationship or that she was ashamed; quite the contrary. She adored her aunts and often found herself hoping to one day have what they shared. Their relationship was simply something that had always been a part of Alex's life. It was normal. They also happened to live half way across the world so it rarely came up in conversation. Olivia was shaking her head at her with a smirk that said 'we _will talk about this later.'_ Alex simply shrugged her shoulders sheepishly and nodded.

"Well, come on inside you two. I hope you brought an appetite because dinner is already on the table."

Theo took Alex by the hand and started talking a mile a minute filling the young woman in on the happenings around the area. Olivia felt Bella link arms with her. The blonde gave her a sweet smile. "I hope you know that girl has been pining away for you for years now."

Olivia swallowed hard feeling the heat of familiar blue eyes staring a hole through her. "The feeling was and is mutual."

"That's good to know, but you know I'm going to have to give you the '_if you hurt her I'll hurt you back'_ speech right?"

Olivia nodded and bit back a laugh. "Yes, ma'am. I would expect nothing less."

Bella grinned. "Oh, now you're going to go and make me like you."

"I wouldn't dare, Aunt Bella." Olivia said mischievously.

Bella rolled her eyes. "You're a smartass just like her. No wonder Alexandra loves you."

* * *

Alex sighed and sat back rubbing her stomach. "This is why I can't stay here longer than a visit. I'd be big as a house if I ate like this every day. How you two stay so thin, is beyond me."

Theo opened her mouth to speak only for Bella to cover it with her hand. "Don't you even think about it."

Alex laughed and shook her head. She knew her Theo was about to say something about sex. The older woman had no problem letting anyone who asked that she and Bella had an active sex life. Theo often said that just because she was older didn't mean her sex drive had to die.

Olivia smirked. She had thoroughly enjoyed watching the older couple going back and forth all throughout dinner. It was obvious that they adored one another, even if they argued most of the time.

"So, you two have been together for over thirty years?" Olivia asked. "That's unbelievable because neither of you look older than thirty yourselves."

Bella fanned herself. "Oh my…she's a charmer, Alexandra."

"I know. Why do you think I keep her around?" Alex said giving Olivia a loving look.

Bella smiled wistfully at them. "Oh, aren't they sweet, Theo?"

"If they get any sweeter, I'm going to need insulin." Theo quipped causing Alex and Olivia to laugh.

Bella hit Theo playfully and looked at Olivia. "This is what thirty years together will do to you."

"It looks pretty good from where I'm sitting." Olivia said softly.

"And to think, we actually have Alexandra to thank for it."

Olivia frowned and looked at Alex who was rolling her eyes humorously. "What did you have to do with it? You couldn't have been more than seven when they met."

Alex nodded. "I was six actually. We were all on a family vacation here in Greece. We were sight-seeing in the marketplace and I somehow got separated from the group."

"More like you ran off like a bat out of hell." Bella said with a laugh as she turned back to Olivia. "Alexandra had a tendency to go off exploring at inopportune times. We were all a nervous wreck when she wandered off. Here we were in this foreign country in a busy marketplace. Anything could have happened to her."

"Well, luckily someone came to my rescue." Alex said smiling at Theo. "I wandered into this little restaurant and bumped right into the nicest woman."

Olivia caught on. "Theo?"

Theo nodded. "I was home from university that summer and working in my father's restaurant to make some extra money. I was out front seating people that day when I felt this tug on my apron. I looked down and saw this little angel looking up at me with missing teeth and the biggest blue eyes. She asked me if I knew where her mommy and daddy were. It was the most adorable sight. She wasn't afraid in the slightest. She said that I looked trustworthy and asked if I would alert the police for her because she was sure that her parents were beside themselves with worry."

Olivia laughed. "So you've always had a big vocabulary huh?"

Alex blushed and rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I called the police for her then we sat down and had a lovely chat over ice cream. She told me all about her parents and her favorite aunt that was with them. I couldn't' believe she was only six. I found her utterly charming."

"How long did it take for your parents to find you?" Olivia asked.

"I think I was with Aunt Theo for about an hour before the police arrived with my parents. Man, were they pissed!" Alex laughed as she recalled the memory.

"Rightfully so. Your aunt is right. Anything could have happened to you." Olivia said giving her a stern look.

"Oh, Aunt Bella was pissed too… until she laid eyes on my rescuer." Alex smirked. "After that, she wasn't so mad at me anymore."

Olivia watched Bella and Theo look at one another lovingly. She could tell they were reliving that moment again. She could almost feel the love flowing between them. _'So this was what loving someone for a lifetime looked like.'_ Olivia thought to herself.

"Alexandra introduced me to her parents then pointed behind them to her favorite aunt. I look up and there is this incredibly beautiful woman standing there with golden hair that went on forever and eyes as blue as the Aegean. I was dumbstruck and unable to speak. That had never happened to me before."

Alex melted when she saw her Aunt Bella blush at Theo's words.

"And I saw Theo standing there holding Alexandra's hand. I don't know what came over me. I fell in love the moment I saw her." Bella leaned over and kissed Theo on the cheek. "It's too bad that my new husband was standing next to me at the time."

Olivia nearly spit out her tea. Everyone else chuckled.

"You were married?!"

Bella nodded. "A newlywed actually. This was not your typical love story to say the least. It was all quite messy, but so worth it."

Alex met Olivia's eyes and they stared at one another for a long moment both thinking about Bella's words.

Bella grinned at them. "To make a long story short, I met my soul mate that day because of Alexandra. I suppose that's why I've let her get away with murder over the years."

Olivia placed her hand over her heart. "That has got to be the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

"I tried to forget her. I really did." Theo said winking at Bella. "But what can I say? There's just something about those damn Grayson women."

Olivia looked at Alex and smiled. "Yeah. They are pretty special."

* * *

"Olivia, would you care to see the grounds?" Theo asked. She gestured to Alex and Bella talking softly across the room. "I think the Grayson women need a moment alone."

Olivia nodded. "I think you're right. I'd love to see the grounds, Theo."

Alex gave them a strange look as they got up to leave. "Where are you two off to?"

"Theo is going to give me a tour of the place. Why don't you and you and Bella catch up? I won't be long." Olivia said following Theo out.

Olivia walked the grounds with Theo in silence for a long while. Every now and then the older woman would point out various special places and tell her a story about a younger Alex. They finally ended up near a small cottage off from the main house.

"I know Bella probably already said this, but I'm going to again because I feel like I have to."

Olivia stood there in silence with her hands behind her back.

"Alexandra is very special to Bella and me. She's the closest thing we ever had to a daughter."

"It's very easy to see how much you two adore her." Olivia said.

"I love that girl as much as I love my own son."

"I suppose you want to know what my intentions are towards her."

"Actually, I think I already know. I'm not blind. I can see that you love her. You look at her the way I looked at Bella when we first met." Theo stared at Olivia intensely for a moment. "Alexandra may not seem like it, but she is a traditional woman, Olivia. She may do some unconventional things at times, but she doesn't take giving her heart lightly."

"Neither do I."

"I know that I shouldn't speculate, but Bella had an interesting theory about you; something about you not drinking the wine at dinner." Theo said glancing at Olivia's midsection before giving the brunette a knowing look. "Some would say you have a certain _glow_ about you."

Olivia blinked in surprise. She swallowed and took a moment to gather her thoughts. "Did Alex say something?"

"No. My Bella is just very perceptive like that. Nothing gets past her. Our son says that she's tougher than the damn FBI." Theo said rolling her eyes. She looked back at Olivia again. "So I'm guessing she was right?"

Olivia nodded nervously. The last thing she wanted to do was alienate Alex from her family. "Yes."

"Oh, stop worrying. I didn't bring you out here to try to scare you away from Alex. That would break that girl's heart and I would never stand for that."

"So why did you bring me out here then?"

"Because I wanted to tell you the rest of the story about me, Bella... and our son." Theo said as she started walking again.

Olivia dutifully followed and listened as Theo told her an unbelievable tale. By the time they had reached the main house, she was nearly in tears, but hopeful at the same time.

"So, trust me when I say that I can relate."

"Any advice?"

"Yes. You trust one another, love one another and remember what brought you together in the first place. Everything else will work itself out."

* * *

Across the vineyard, Alex and Bella sat out on the second floor balcony and enjoyed the gentle night breeze from the sea. Alex fidgeted nervously wondering what her other aunt was saying to Olivia at the moment. She didn't even notice Bella staring at her.

"So how far along is she?" Bella asked out of the blue as she sipped her wine.

Alex started slightly. "What…"

"Alexandra, I don't get the chance to see you as often as I'd like. Let's not waste the time we have together."

Alex sighed. "She's ten weeks. How did you know?"

"She didn't touch the wine during dinner and _everyone _loves the wine here. She also turned a lovely shade of green when she caught the scent of salmon in the air. I was the same way when I was pregnant with your cousin, Philip." Bella eyed her niece closely. "I assume that since you two just recently became a couple that this pregnancy was a bit of a surprise."

Alex nodded. "Surprise doesn't even cover it. It was more like a bombshell… for both of us."

"Do you know what you're getting yourself into, Alexandra?"

"No." Alex answered honestly. "I just know that I love her."

The older woman nodded slowly. "I certainly remember what that feels like."

"I know everything is complicated and it's bound to be even more complex once this baby gets here, but… I…" Alex struggled with her words.

"You can't live without her." Bella finished.

Alex nodded. "Are you upset with me?"

"Alexandra, why on earth would you think such a thing? I left my new husband after I laid eyes on Theo. I'm hardly one to judge." She squeezed Alex's hand. "I know what it feels like to finally meet your soul mate and not have things go as planned. But that's life for you; it doesn't always follow a script darling."

"My head tells me that this could end quite badly for me, but my heart won't let me walk away."

"From what I could tell, Olivia seems quite enamored with you. I like her a lot. She didn't even flinch when I gave her _the talk _earlier. She spoke openly about how much she loved you. She told me that she has loved you for years. I could see the truth in her eyes. I was impressed and a bit disappointed. You know how I enjoy scaring your admirers."

Alex laughed. "I'm sure Aunt Theo is giving it a try right now."

Bella chuckled. "Theo has always had a soft spot for you."

"And Philip." Alex added referring to her cousin.

Very few people knew that Bella Grayson had found out that she was pregnant shortly after meeting Theodora Stavros. She and her new husband had only been married for three short months. It had been a difficult decision, but Bella knew that she could not live in a loveless relationship. So after only a few months of marriage and at the disappointment of most of her family, Bella filed for divorce despite being pregnant. After learning that his new young wife wanted to leave him for another woman, Bella's husband didn't put up a fight; he wanted nothing to do with her or the child. Alone, afraid, and pregnant, Bella went back to Greece hoping to find Theo still waiting for her. Standing in the middle of a busy little restaurant, she nervously declared her love for Theo and told her about the pregnancy knowing there was a good chance the other woman could very well turn her away. But Theo had simply opened her arms and accepted the child without a second thought. Theo had stepped in and raised Philip as if he were her own. It wasn't your typical love story, but Alex thought it was a beautiful one just the same. If anyone could understand what she and Olivia were going through, it was her Aunt Bella and Aunt Theo.

"How is Cousin Philip by the way?"

"He's fine, still chasing women." Bella rolled her eyes. "I don't think that boy will ever settle down. He's almost too charming for his own good. He definitely takes after his other mother in that respect."

"Are you talking about my darling son?" Theo asked as she and Olivia returned.

"You're the only one who considers him a darling. I was just catching Alexandra up on his latest shenanigans."

"So my boy appreciates beautiful women. You can hardly blame him for that." Theo said in her son's defense.

Bella rolled her eyes. "He appreciates a _different_ beautiful woman every week. I'm terrified that I might have dozens of grandchildren out there."

"Would you stop worrying? I taught the boy well."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Before long, Theo and Bella were having another heated debate; this time over the current state of their son's love life. Alex moved over and pulled Olivia down next to her.

"How was your walk?"

"Very enlightening. Theo and I had quite a talk… about your cousin Philip and how he came into her life." Olivia said knowingly.

Alex nodded. "Interesting story isn't it?"

"Is that why this has been so easy for you to accept?"

"I can accept this because I love you." Alex said sincerely.

Olivia nodded then looked over at Bella and Theo who were still in the middle of a heated discussion. She couldn't help but see the similarities between the older couple and her and Alex.

"I wonder if we'll be like that in thirty years." Olivia asked.

Alex watched her aunts burst into laughter as if they hadn't even been arguing. She smiled. "If we're lucky we will."

* * *

Later that night, Alex awoke to find herself alone in bed. She found her discarded robe and slipped it on before wandering out into the living area. She could hear the sounds of the waves coming through the open patio doors off from the living room. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw Olivia sitting out on the beach watching the waves. She grabbed the small throw off the back of the sofa and headed outside.

"Hey. Mind if I join you?"

Olivia held her hand up and helped Alex sit next to her. She snuggled in closer as Alex wrapped the throw around them. They sat in complete silence and watched the waves for what seemed like forever. Alex really wanted to ask Olivia what was on her mind, but she figured it might be best to allow Olivia to talk when she was ready.

"I can remember the exact moment I knew I loved you." Olivia said out of the blue.

"You do?"

"Yes." Olivia said softly. She could feel Alex's eyes on her, but never took her eyes away from the waves. "It was during the Darrell Guan case."

Alex ran through the hundreds of cases they'd worked on together over the years. Suddenly, it hit her. "The guy who tried to use being a product of rape as a defense."

Olivia nodded. "I've seen a lot of things on this job over the years, but that case scared me the most."

Alex had a good idea why, but she had to ask. "Why?"

"Because he was me. Darrell Guan's life was ruined because he had to live with the way he was conceived every day of his life."

"Darrell Guan ruined his own life, not his conception. He made the choice to do those horrible things. That had nothing to do with being a product of rape. You and Darrell Guan are nothing alike." Alex said adamantly.

Olivia found herself smiling a little as she continued to watch the waves. "That's how I knew."

"What do you mean?"

Olivia finally turned and looked into Alex's blue eyes. "When you gave your closing arguments, you said that life was about choices; that we all have to choose what kind of person we are going to be. No one's life is predestined based on conception. I knew you were talking to me. You were trying to convince me that I wasn't like him. I sat in the back of that courtroom and I felt every heartfelt word you spoke. I knew that you could see beyond all my crap and just see me. That's when I knew I loved you."

Alex blinked trying to hold back her tears realizing how many years had passed since then. "You never said anything."

Olivia sighed heavily. "I was the biggest coward when it came to you, Cabot. I looked at you and I thought that there was no way you could ever feel the same way…so I settled for what I could get. You were important to me. You were my friend. I mean…you sat there in your office and didn't blink an eye when I told you about my mother and how I was conceived. You never looked at me differently or with pity. You were just… you. It hurt like hell knowing that I couldn't have you the way that my heart wanted, but I couldn't bear to lose you as a friend too. I was just too afraid to take that chance."

"You can't know how much I wanted to hold you that day. I just wanted to wrap you in my arms and chase everything else away."

"You did, Alex. Don't you understand? You made everything better just by being  
there." Olivia reached out and wiped Alex's stray tears away. "You still do."

Alex leaned in and kissed Olivia soundly. "Thank you for telling me that."

"There are so many things we should have talked about before now."

They sat in silence for a long time again. "How is it that we were best friends all those years and I never knew about Bella and Theo?"

Alex laughed. "I was wondering when you were going to ask me that."

"They really are amazing. They adore you."

"They were wonderful to me when I was growing up. I always knew there were at least two people in this world who I could relate to... that understood me."

"So why didn't you tell me about them?"

"Would you believe me if I said that it just never came up?" Alex asked sheepishly.

"Not likely."

"Well, believe it or not, it just didn't come up. You knew how I was about keeping personal and professional separate. I rarely talked about _any_ of my family, let alone my aunts that lived in another country."

Olivia nodded. She had to agree. There were things that she had never told Alex either. "Can we make a pact to not do that anymore? I really want to know everything there is to know about you. I find you kind of fascinating, Counselor."

This made Alex smile. She gave Olivia a quick kiss on the cheek and held out her pinky. "Pinky swear… no more secrets between us."

Olivia laughed. "What are we ten?"

"Hey, pinky swearing is sacred!"

"Alright then." Olivia linked pinkies with Alex and pulled the blonde into a deep kiss. "Pinky swear… no more secrets."

"I love you, Liv." Alex whispered as she pulled Olivia close.

"I love you too, Alex."

* * *

Their time in Greece would be a vacation they would remember for many years. They had shared romantic walks on the beach; watched amazing sunsets while lying in the hammock, enjoyed incredible food in exotic restaurants, and visited Alex's beloved aunts as well as the ruins of ancient cities of long ago. But if either were honest, they most enjoyed the quiet moments alone making love on a whim and just being able to talk without interruption. They had learned so much more about one another even after twelve years.

Alex sat on the bed and looked out over the vast sea and sighed with contentment. She couldn't remember a time in her life when she had been this happy. She was in one of the most beautiful places in the world with one of the most beautiful women in the world. Life couldn't get much better than this. A part of her was worried about going back to the real world, their world that now included a baby on the way and the baby's father.

Tomorrow they would leave this safe haven. There were moments when Alex wished she could keep Olivia here forever. Here, she didn't have to share her with anyone. Olivia was just hers.

"A penny for them?" Olivia asked towelling off from her shower. She had gone out to their beach for a quick swim while Alex napped.

Alex allowed her eyes to wander over Olivia's well toned body. It was appropriate that they were in Greece because Olivia was built like a Greek goddess.

"Hmm?"

Olivia chuckled. "I said a penny for your thoughts. You looked like you were in deep thought there, Counselor."

"I was just thinking about going home tomorrow. I'm going to miss you."

Olivia frowned. She slipped on her robe and climbed on the bed. "Am I going somewhere that I'm not aware of?"

"No, but you'll be going back to work and to your own apartment." Alex pouted. "I won't have you all to myself anymore. I think you've spoiled me.

Olivia smiled softly before kissing her gently on the lips. "Baby, Bella told me all about your childhood. You were already spoiled long before I came along."

Alex tried to glare at her put couldn't. She laughed. Olivia pulled her into her arms and kissed her forehead. "We'll work it out, Alex. We'll just have to make the time."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

TBC...

* * *

Next Time: Life After Greece


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I didn't have much time to write this week. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I hope you are still enjoying this. Let me know.

* * *

Chapter 19: Back to Life

Two weeks after returning from Greece, life had returned to normal. Alex took over her new duties as EADA of Major Cases and was now busier than ever. Olivia was back to work as well, but Cragen had made it very clear that she had a few more days of desk duty to look forward to. Olivia didn't put up much of a fight considering she knew riding a desk was going to be in her very near future. She knew she wouldn't be able to hide the fact that she was pregnant much longer. She was now twelve weeks along and going in to see her OB for another checkup.

Luckily, today was a slow day and Olivia managed to sneak away from work without attracting too much suspicion. She had called and informed Brian out of courtesy the day before. Olivia had promised Brian that he could be a part of this and she had meant it. She wasn't surprised when Brian had said that he wasn't sure if he could make it; something about a new case he was involved in. Olivia wasn't buying it. She knew an excuse when she heard it, but she had taken his hesitation in stride. The choice to be a part of this was his choice and his alone. Alex, on the other hand, had seemed thrilled. Although Alex had expressed that she would do her best to attend, Olivia knew the blonde was scheduled to be in court all day and had insisted that it was no big deal if Alex couldn't make it. Now that she was sitting in the waiting room alone, she was suddenly regretting those words.

"Is this your first one?"

Olivia turned her attention to the smiling redhead next to her. "Excuse me?"

The woman pointed to Olivia's nervous tapping foot. She immediately stopped. "Oh. Sorry."

The tossed her magazine on the table and gave Olivia her full attention. "You seem a little nervous. Is this your first?"

Olivia sighed and nodded. "That obvious, huh?" She had no idea why she had suddenly gotten so nervous.

"Just a little." She held out her hand. "I'm Jessica."

Olivia shook her hand. "Olivia… and you're right. I suddenly have a case of the jitters. I don't know why this keeps happening. It's not even my first visit."

"It's completely normal to be a little nervous. I was a complete worry wart at every single visit when I had my first child. I drove my husband crazy." She chuckled.

Olivia didn't really know how to respond. She didn't have a husband. She had Brian and she had Alex. Yes, things were very complicated.

"You shouldn't worry. I'm sure everything will be just fine." The woman offered.

"Thank you."

"Olivia Benson?" The nurse called out.

Olivia stood. "That's me."

"Good luck."

"Thanks."

Fifteen minutes later, Olivia found herself dressed in one of those dreadful gowns lying on a table freezing to death. She kept wondering why in the hell the doctor's office was always so cold.

"Good afternoon, Olivia. I'm sorry I missed you at the last visit. I was at a medical conference. I hear congratulations are in order or am I just getting old and hearing things?"

Olivia smiled as her familiar OB/GYN, Dr. Sydney Powell, strolled in. She was a fifty-something woman with raven hair peppered with a little gray. She had emerald-green eyes that showed the wisdom of her years. Olivia had been a G.Y.N patient of Dr. Powell's for nearly ten years. The woman was an excellent gynecologist with a very pleasing bedside manner. When it came to choosing an obstetrician, Olivia knew she didn't need to look very far.

"Hey Doc. If you're asking if I'm pregnant, the answer is yes. As for you getting old, I wouldn't dare answer that."

"I always knew you were a smart woman, Olivia."

The doctor went through all the preliminary exam questions. Olivia asked a few questions and expressed her concerns. After taking her weight, blood pressure, and blood had been drawn, Dr. Powell took a seat and prepared Olivia for her exam.

"Well, according to your chart everything looked good at the last visit. How about we check you out and see how things are looking inside and then we can go from there, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan."

There was a soft knock at the door before a blonde head came into view. "Hey, am I too late?"

Olivia felt herself release the breath she didn't even know she was holding. She had wanted Alex there with her all along.

"Hey. You're here." Olivia said with a blinding smile.

She held out her hand to Alex pulling her closer. Alex leaned over and placed a quick kiss on her lips. Olivia smiled at her doctor. "Dr. Powell, this is my girlfriend Alex Cabot. Alex this is Dr. Powell."

"Well it is very nice to meet you, Alex. You're just in time. We were just about to get started."

Alex turned her attention back to Olivia as the doctor began the exam. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"Sorry? I didn't even think you'd be able to come."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world."

* * *

Two weeks later…

Today just wasn't Olivia Benson's day. Nothing was going her way. The day had started with a bout of morning sickness that literally had her on her knees. At thirteen weeks, she was quickly realizing that the smell of certain foods would set her off in a second. She had dragged herself into work and found a mountain of paperwork waiting to be filed. Before she could even begin, Cragen had sent her and Nick over to Bellevue to interview a victim. She and Nick had tracked all the way across town to find that the victim was denying that an assault had even occurred. Olivia hated these situations. She could tell just by talking to the young woman that something had definitely happened to her, but she was just too afraid to talk. With nothing to investigate, Olivia had handed the girl a card with her personal information and encouraged her to call if she reconsidered.

Upon their return, she and Nick had to sit through a twenty-minute dressing down from Cragen about evidence being tossed in another case due to questions about chain of evidence. It didn't matter that neither she nor Nick was responsible for the beat cop who had fumbled the ball. It was their case so they got their asses handed to them.

Just when she didn't think things could get much worse, they found out that their new temporary ADA had botched an air tight case and was forced to cut a deal that would allow a serial child rapist back on the streets in less than five years. Breaking the news to the family of his young victims had been one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. She couldn't help thinking how Alex would have never made such a rookie mistake. It made her miss the blonde much more. Olivia rubbed her aching temples and tried to will away her headache. She was having the day from hell and it wasn't even noon yet.

She had managed to work her way through nearly half the pile of paperwork on her desk when her phone rang.

"Benson. SVU."

"Cabot. Major Cases." Came the teasing response over the line causing Olivia to stifle a laugh.

"Cabot is on the phone!" Fin said grinning in Olivia's direction. Nick and Amanda saw Olivia blush and laughed.

Olivia returned the favor by giving them the middle finger.

Alex laughed at the amusing shouts that could be heard through the phone. "Are they giving you a hard time over there, babe?"

"Fin's just being an ass. That's all." She said glaring at him. "How are you?"

"I was calling to ask you the same thing? I got your text. I thought the morning sickness had finally passed. Are you feeling any better?"

Olivia glanced around and decided that it wasn't a good idea to take this call surrounded by four extremely nosy detectives.

"Hang on a sec and let me call you back, okay?" She quickly hung up and picked up her cell.

"I'll be in the crib for a few minutes if you need me." She said to Nick over her shoulder.

Once she'd climbed the stairs, Olivia closed the door to the small room and flopped back on the old sofa by the window. She sighed heavily as she hit Alex's number on speed dial. Alex answered immediately.

"How are you, sweetie? You sound exhausted."

"I'm okay. Sprout is just making it difficult to hold down my food today, that's all."

"Sprout?"

"I'm trying out nicknames. Sprout seemed appropriate at this point."

Alex chuckled. "I like sprout."

"I miss you." Olivia sighed.

"I miss you too."

Olivia and Alex had not laid eyes on one another since Olivia's twelve week checkup several days prior. Alex was in the middle of a huge murder trial but still managed to make it to her doctor visits. The blonde had not missed a single appointment yet. Olivia wasn't sure how she was pulling it off, but she was glad. Having Alex there with her was always comforting. The blonde simply had a way of making everything alright.

"And I hate the new ADA?

Alex chuckled. "Have you even given her a chance?"

"She's not you."

Alex knew she shouldn't, but felt pleased. She liked the idea of the squad not liking her replacement.

"Just give her a chance. It took a while for you to warm up to me too."

"Whatever." Olivia mumbled. "Don't mind me. I'm just pissy because I'm missing you."

"Listen, I'm sorry I've been so busy, Liv. This case is just…"

"Hey. Stop it. That's not what I meant." Olivia interrupted. "You've been great. I've been just as busy as you. We knew this wouldn't be easy, but things will calm down soon enough."

Alex groaned. "God, I hope so. I really need to see you because these people are driving me crazy over here."

Olivia laughed. "I take it you've finally met Detectives Goren and Eames? Interesting pair aren't they?"

"Detective Eames seems very competent and solid. Detective Goren is… a bit of a mystery to me."

"Goren has always been a bit of an odd ball. On the surface, he can seem like a real nut job but trust me Alex; the guy is a genius."

"That still doesn't offer me very much comfort, Olivia. You once said that John Munch was a genius."

Olivia couldn't help but laugh. "In his own way, he is. Listen, don't worry. Goren won't screw up your cases too badly. Eames does a good job keeping him in line."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I long for the days when all I had to worry about was relying on your and Stabler's gut feelings. Having to sit through one of Detective Goran's maniacal theories is almost too much to take."

Olivia laughed. "Never thought I'd hear you say that."

"I know."

Olivia looked up to see Nick peaking around the door. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Liv but we gotta body downtown."

She nodded and held up a finger. "Hey Alex, we've got a body. I have to go."

"Alright. I'm due in court soon anyway. Promise me you'll be careful."

"Always. Good luck in court. I'll call you later. I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

Olivia slowly made her way up to her apartment, exhausted and glad the day was finally over. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for eternity. As soon as she opened her door, she sensed something was different. She was about to draw her weapon when she caught a whiff of the delicious scent in the air. She slowly closed the door then smiled tiredly at the sight before her. There standing in her kitchen was Alexandra Cabot still dressed in all her courtroom glory wearing Olivia's apron while preparing dinner. The blonde looked up and gave her a soft smile.

"Hey, you're home."

"I am… and you're here." Olivia said pleasantly surprised.

"I used the spare key you gave me. I knew you would be exhausted and wouldn't eat properly. So I decided to make you dinner. I feel like I've been neglecting my girlfriend duties the last couple of weeks." Alex said sheepishly.

Olivia's heart melted. She stripped away her gun and badge and placed it on the counter as she made her way into the kitchen. She pulled Alex into a tight embrace and buried her face into the blonde's neck. They both moaned at the feel of each other.

"Thank you. I am so happy to see you." Olivia said kissing her lips. "And you have not been neglecting your girlfriend duties. If anything, you've been the perfect girlfriend. With everything on your schedule right now, you've still managed to show up for me and Sprout, even when the father hasn't." Olivia finished with a growl.

Much to Olivia's dismay, Brian Cassidy had not shown much interest in being an active participant in this pregnancy. He had yet to attend any of her appointments and rarely called to check in. The only reason Brian was even aware of how things were progressing was because Olivia had made the effort to track him down. Although Alex had remained silent on the matter, Olivia knew that the blonde was pissed on her behalf. Olivia just hoped that his current behavior would not be an indication of how things would be after the baby was born.

Alex ran her fingers through the soft brown locks and kissed her forehead. "What was his excuse this week?"

Olivia shrugged and stepped out of her embrace. "Same as last time. He said he's been working on something with the Feds."

Alex leaned back against the counter and folded her arms. "It's possible. Do you believe him?"

"I don't know. A part of me wants to believe him because at least that would mean he has a legitimate reason for not being around."

"And the other part?" Alex raised a brow.

Olivia thought for a moment. "Honestly… the other part of me just wishes he'd be man enough to just admit that he doesn't want to do this. That way I know where we stand and I can do this on my own the way I was prepared to in the first place."

Alex reached out and took her hand. "Hey, you are not in this alone okay? You have me."

"I know that, Alex. Like I said, you've been amazing, beyond amazing. You don't know how many times I've wished that you were Brian."

Alex's eyes widened.

Olivia stopped and frowned. "Wait, that didn't come out right."

Alex laughed and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Don't worry. I think I understand what you mean."

Alex kissed her gently then took her by the hand, pulling her through the apartment. "Come on. I know you're exhausted and I read that a warm bath is perfectly fine as long as the water is not too hot. It's also good for back aches, headaches, and your overall emotional well-being."

Olivia chuckled. "What would I ever do without you and your pregnancy books, Counselor?"

Alex opened the door revealing her bathroom bathed in candlelight. The claw foot tub was already filled with warm vanilla scented water. She smiled. Alex had remembered not to use the jasmine since the scent of it had made her sick the last time.

Olivia melted inside. "Correction. What would I ever do without you… just you?"

Alex slipped her arms around her from behind. She placed her hands over Olivia's still flat stomach and rested her chin on her shoulder.

"Luckily for you and Sprout, you'll never need to find that out." She placed a gentle kiss on Olivia's neck and pushed her inside. "Now, go have your bath. I've already double checked the water temperature and it was below the recommended temp. I laid out your favorite pajamas over there, so you should be all set."

"You're not joining me?" Olivia pouted.

"No. This is just for you. I'm going to finish up dinner. I'll keep it warm until you get out so don't rush. I think I'll just sit on the sofa and read my _pregnancy books_ until you're finished." She winked before closing the door.

Olivia stood there for a moment. She placed her hands on her stomach then looked down and smiled. "How did we ever get so lucky, Sprout?"

After enjoying her bath, Olivia emerged a half hour later feeling much better. Just as promised, Alex had kept dinner warm, which turned out to be a light chicken penne' pasta dish with Italian bread. Alex had even remembered to pick up Ginger Ale and saltines in case Olivia needed them. After dinner was finished and the kitchen cleaned, Alex tucked Olivia into bed.

"Are you staying?" Olivia asked as her head hit the pillow.

"If you want me to."

"Of course I want you to." Olivia tugged on her hand. "Come lie down with me…please?"

"Okay, but I have to work on a few files." Alex said sheepishly. She knew that Olivia never brought work to bed. "That was the only way Maggie would allow me to leave the office early enough to come over."

Margaret _"AKA Maggie"_ Malone was Alex's longtime secretary, substitute grandmother, and overall task master rolled into one. She ran an office with such efficiency that even some of the city's most notable judges and politicians had tried to steal her away, but Maggie would never leave Alex. When Alex had returned from Witsec, Maggie came out of retirement to reclaim her post. She said that someone had to take care of Alex since Alex obviously couldn't manage on her own. This was after Maggie had given the young attorney a piece of her mind for allowing her to grieve for her. Alex wasn't an idiot. She ignored the tears welling in Maggie's eyes when they saw one another again. That was just Maggie's way. The older woman often tried to appear tough and unfeeling, but Olivia and Alex could see right through her. Maggie loved Alex and Alex loved her just as much in return.

Olivia nearly laughed. "You do realize that Maggie works for you, right? She's _your_ secretary, not the other way around."

"Olivia, have you met Maggie Malone? She's been managing me for years. If anything, I work for her. No one crosses Maggie. The only person she actually likes is you."

"That's because she knows how much I love you. She told me that she knew even before I did."

Alex snorted. "I wouldn't doubt it. Maggie knows everything."

"Well go get your files if you must. I don't want you to get in trouble with Maggie, but I want you here with me."

"Alright, I'll be right back."

A few minutes later, Olivia watched as her girlfriend undressed and threw on one of her old t-shirts. She now understood what men found so intoxicating about women wearing their shirts. The sight of Alexandra Cabot in just a NYPD t-shirt and lace panties was truly a sight to behold. She bit her lip and tried to find something on television as a distraction.

Alex slipped into bed next to Olivia and went to work. It wasn't long before she realized that working in bed next to Olivia Benson wasn't a very good idea. Who could possibly concentrate when their incredibly hot girlfriend was just lying there? She smirked and tossed the files on the floor. '_Maggie will just have to understand.' _Alex thought.

Olivia turned and looked at her strangely. "What are you doing? I thought you had to finish those?"

Alex grinned mischievously. "Never let it be said that Alexandra Cabot allowed her girlfriend to lie in bed and twiddle her thumbs…" She leaned over and kissed Olivia thoroughly. "… when we could be making love."

Olivia grinned against her lips. She pulled Alex down until their bodies were touching. "What about work?"

Alex settled in between two lean thighs and sighed. "Fuck working."

Olivia moaned as Alex bit down on the sensitive area of her neck just below her ear. "How about just fucking me then?"

"That can be arranged, Detective."

"I do love a woman with a plan."

"Olivia?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut up."

TBC...

* * *

Coming Soon: The secret is out.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Thank you so much for the helpful feedback. It is greatly appreciated. Here's the next chapter. Happy reading!

* * *

Chapter 20: The Secret's Out

"On the sole count of murder in the first degree, how does the jury find?"

"We find the defendant guilty."

"And on the second count of murder in the second degree, how does the jury find?"

"We find the defendant guilty, you honor."

Alex bit her lip to hold back the self-satisfied grin threatening to emerge. This was her first case as EADA and she had nailed it. She gave herself a mental high-five as she glanced to her left. Trevor Langon looked like someone had just kicked him in the balls.

"The state of New York thanks you for your service and time. The defendant is remanded until sentencing. This court is now adjourned." The honorable Barry Moredock stated before pounding his gavel. He gave Alex a curt nod before leaving the bench.

The courtroom was a buzz of conversation and movement as the people made their way towards the exits. Today was a big win for the good guys. Trevor Langon had earned his disgustingly large paycheck by giving Alex a challenge from beginning to end. She had to give it to him; he'd pulled out all the stops for this one. Still, the smoke and mirrors had not been enough to make the jury to see beyond the bloody photos of the murder scene and wounded testimony of a very young and innocent eye-witness.

Alex had done her homework and presented an air tight case to the jury. By the time she finished her closing statement, she had the jury practically aching to find Langon's sleazy client guilty. Deliberations had taken less than an hour. Langon's client had been sure his money would get him off. Alex was more than glad to prove him wrong.

Alex glanced at her watch and noticed the time. If she hurried, she might be able to catch Olivia at the precinct for lunch before the detective headed to Rikers to conduct an interview. She was packing up her briefcase when something caught her eye in the back of the courtroom. She peered around the thinning crowd and slowly smiled. She raised a brow and waited as her favorite detective made her way towards the prosecution's table.

"What are you doing here?"

"I heard there was an incredibly hot EADA kicking ass and taking names. I thought I'd come down and check it out for myself." She pushed the swinging gate open and came around to Alex's side.

She was a bit surprised when Alex immediately pulled her into a warm hug. It was obvious that Alex had no problems being _'out'_ in public. Olivia liked the feeling.

Alex placed a gentle kiss on Olivia's cheek before pulling away. "I thought you had an interview at Rikers today?"

"I asked Fin to handle it. I couldn't let you try your first case as EADA without seeing at least part of it. I am very proud of you. I knew you'd be great at this."

Alex blushed. "Thank you. Coming from you, that means the world to me."

"You're welcome. You're closing argument was amazing by the way. The jury looked like they wanted to give the guy the needle themselves."

"I'm just glad it's finally over and they found him guilty. I really wanted to nail his smug ass." Alex said making Olivia laugh.

"I can tell. Congratulations babe."

"Thanks." She reached out and linked her fingers with Olivia's. "I really am glad to see you. I was going to…"

The moment was broken by someone clearing their throat behind them. They both turned to see Trevor Langon staring at them.

They both took a step back from one another but remained close. "Trevor. Something I can do for you?" Alex asked slightly annoyed at being interrupted.

"Actually, I was going to ask you if you'd like to go for a drink or dinner later, but…" He looked at them for a moment, taking in their closeness. "…I'm thinking that might not be a good idea."

Olivia's eyes were trained on him. "I think you should follow that instinct, Counselor."

Alex could tell by the look on Trevor's face that he was about to come back with some smart ass remark that would undoubtedly set Olivia off. She knew exactly how her girlfriend felt about Trevor Langon. Olivia had always disliked him because he was usually defending the perps they were trying to put away. However, there always seemed to be more to Olivia's distaste for the man. She practically growled when she was in the same room with him.

"So the rumors floating around are true? You two are a couple?" Trevor asked giving Alex a teasing look.

Alex saw Olivia tense next to her. "Not that it's any of your business, but yes we are."

"Well, Alexandra that is quite…um…"

"Is there anything else you need, Trevor?" Alex asked trying to end the awkward situation.

Trevor cleared his throat. "Actually, I really would like to speak with you before sentencing, if possible."

"What is there to speak about?"

"A recommendation from the people would be…"

Alex held up her hand. "Trevor, don't even try it. Your client is guilty as sin. You know it, I know it, and the jury was unanimous. He deserves to rot in a pine box for what he did. Whether he does or not is out of my hands. Now if you would excuse me, I have more important things to do."

Trevor grinned smugly knowing he had gotten under Alex's skin. It was like he lived to annoy her. He lifted his briefcase from the empty chair and gave them a curt nod. "Good day, ladies. I hope you enjoy your afternoon. Alex, I'll be in touch."

Olivia watched him walk away until he had disappeared behind the courtroom doors. If looks could kill, the man would have died a thousand times over in very painful ways.

"You really don't like him do you?" Alex asked.

Olivia shrugged her shoulders casually. "He's a defense lawyer. He annoys me."

Alex looked at her closely shaking her head slightly. "No. I've seen you annoyed. That is something else entirely. Why do you always look like you could tear his head off when you're within ten feet of him?"

"He's arrogant."

"So am I." Alex smirked.

"He wears thousand dollar suits. It's just ridiculous."

"Liv?" Alex waited.

Olivia rolled her eyes and growled. She found the finish on the wooden table very interesting. "You went out with him." She finally mumbled.

Alex frowned. "That was at least _ten_ years ago."

"And your point would be?"

Alex laughed. She never thought Olivia would be the jealous type. She had to admit, she liked it.

"Are you telling me that you're jealous of Trevor?"

"No." She mumbled again.

Alex bit back a grin and took pity on her. "Olivia, it meant nothing. I lost a bet. That's the only reason I was having dinner with him and it hasn't happened since."

Olivia raised a brow. "Really?"

"Yes." Alex chuckled. "I would have told you years ago if I had known it bothered you so much. I had no reason to believe that you even cared."

"I cared. You had on that gorgeous red dress and your hair was perfect. I wanted to drag you out of there that night to make sure Langon couldn't put his smarmy hands on you."

"You're sweet." Alex leaned over and kissed her cheek. "And just so we are clear, his smarmy hands never touched any part of my body. I had him drive me home as soon and you and Elliot left the table."

Olivia smiled a little. "That's good to know. So what was the bet?"

Alex blushed slightly and looked away. "I refuse to answer that on the grounds that... that… I don't want to."

"Alex?" Olivia's curiosity was no peaked.

Alex sighed heavily. "Trevor bet that I wouldn't have the guts to ask you to be my date for the Cabot Foundation Gala."

Olivia blinked and her mouth dropped open. "What?"

Alex rolled her eyes. She would make sure Trevor paid for this later. "Trevor and I have known each other since college. Actually, we used to be pretty good friends. I guess you could say that we're still friends, but only when our professions aren't involved. He knows me and he figured out that I had a crush on you and made the bet to push me along. I, of course, chickened out and he ended up going with me to the Gala as my date that night. For losing, I had to take him to that ridiculously expensive restaurant, get him season tickets to the Yankees, and attend one game with him." Alex finished with a shudder.

Olivia laughed. "He actually made you go to a game?"

Alex nodded.

Olivia continued to laugh at the miserable look the attorney's face. "Oh and I bet it just killed you to sit in Yankee Stadium didn't it?"

"He made me wear the jersey too." Alex said with a wounded look.

Olivia would have never thought it possible and wouldn't dare tell a soul, but she suddenly felt a glimmer of admiration for the defense attorney.

"Wow. You know… I hate to admit this, but Langon was actually pretty decent to me when he was representing me a couple of years back." Olivia shoved her hands into her pockets and scuffed her boot on the floor. She glanced up at Alex shyly. "Thank you for that, by the way."

Alex straightened her glasses. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"For a lawyer, you really are bad at lying." Olivia folded her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes. "As my lawyer, Trevor was obligated to tell me who was paying his retainer for me if I asked. I know it was you, Alex."

Alex bit her lip. "He wasn't supposed to tell you."

"I gathered that much. Why didn't you want me to know?"

Alex shrugged her shoulders. "You and I weren't exactly on great terms at the time. I know how stubborn you can be. I knew you wouldn't want to accept the help if you knew it was coming from me."

"And you did it anyway?" Olivia said shaking her head still blown away by this woman's generosity.

"You were in trouble, Olivia. There was no doubt in _my_ mind that you were innocent, but we know jury's don't always go the way we want them. I couldn't allow you to go to prison for something you didn't do. As a cop, you would have had a target on you back as soon as you went to lockup. I was worried out of my mind. I couldn't represent you myself so I called the only person I could trust to defend you as well as I could. Trevor may be a lot of things, but a lousy lawyer isn't one of them. He's the best at what he does and if you tell him I said that _no one_ will ever find your body. I have three judges and a Senator in my family. I can make it happen. "

Olivia laughed out loud. She loved Alex's witty sense of humor. She glanced around and noticed the courtroom was now completely empty. She stepped into Alex's personal space and pulled her close. She leaned in and gave Alex a kiss so passionate it made the blonde's toes curl in her shoes. When she pulled away, Alex still had her eyes closed.

"Wha… What was that for?"

"That was for being my hero. You have the amazing ability to always be there when I need you. I'm incredibly lucky to have you in my life and even luckier that you've decided to love me." Olivia said cupping her face.

"You just want to get me to go to a Yankee's game with you." Alex teased trying to lighten the conversation again.

Olivia laughed. "Well, you know how jealous I can be when it comes to Langon. He got you into a Yankees jersey. I have to find a way to _top that_."

Alex grabbed her briefcase then took Olivia by the hand before pulling her towards the exit.

"How about we start with you taking me to lunch in the park? Then if you're really good I might consider wearing that jersey for you later tonight… when we're alone… and you can _top me_ instead."

Olivia grinned, allowing her eyes to rake over Alex's lean body encased in her favorite black Armani suit. She could picture how sexy that body would look in nothing but her favorite Yankees jersey. She licked her lips.

"Ha! Try and top that Trev!"

Alex simply laughed.

* * *

Alex smiled to herself as she flipped through the New York Times. She and Olivia had slept in since it was Saturday and neither had to work. The extra couplle of hours of sleep was exactly what they had needed after the marathon of lovemaking that had lasted well into the night. Alex found herself smiling as she recalled the excited look on Olivia's face when she walked out of the bedroom wearing nothing but the detective's favorite Yankee's jersey. Although Alex was a born and bred Boston Red Sox fan, she knew she would be willing to wear the rival jersey anytime it was requested if it resulted in being ravished by her girlfriend that way.

A loud thump interrupted her thoughts. A few seconds later, she heard yet another loud thump coming from Olivia's bedroom down the hall. She folded the paper and tossed it aside before heading towards the bedroom. What she found made her eyes widen.

"Liv? Baby, what are you doing?"

Only Olivia's voice floated from the small walk-in closet. "I'm trying to find something to wear!"

Alex instantly knew what the issue was. Olivia was officially showing. Alex wasn't even sure when it happened. It seemed like they got up this morning and suddenly Olivia had a baby bump and slightly larger breast. Alex certainly wasn't complaining about the latter, but Olivia was having a fit about the first.

"Olivia, why don't you just tell them?" Alex stood with her hands on her hips as she watched Olivia toss yet another outfit onto the bed.

The detectives of the 1-6 were throwing the captain a small dinner party tonight at a restaurant on the West Side in honor of Cragen's birthday and they were expected to be there.

"Sweetheart, you can't hide the fact that you're pregnant anymore." Alex said gently.

Olivia poked her head back out of the closet. "I know that Alex. I was planning to tell them tonight anyway, but I have to find something to wear to this thing. I can't very well walk into the room wearing this."

Olivia was standing in the middle of her bedroom wearing a pair of black satin panties and matching bra. Alex licked her lips unconsciously. She thought Olivia looked incredibly sexy even with the small pregnancy pouch.

Alex leaned in the doorway with crossed arms and grinned as she looked Olivia up and down. "You are so right. You _cannot_ be seen in public in _that_."

"Why? Because I'm fat?" Olivia pouted.

Alex rolled her eyes. Although the morning sickness and fatigue from the first trimester had tapered off, Olivia had picked up some new symptoms. Now, at sixteen weeks pregnant, she had acquired reoccurring headaches, back aches, as well as swelling hands and feet just to name a few.

"Olivia, we talked about this with Dr. Powell. It is perfectly normal to start gaining weight."

Olivia growled as she tossed another pair of pants on the bed. "Don't patronize me, Alex."

Alex bit her lip. She'd almost forgotten the new raging hormones that made Olivia particularly moody. It was like having two girlfriends. She never knew which one she'd get on any given day.

"I'm not patronizing you, Liv. I promise." Alex went over and stopped the further destruction of her girlfriend's closet. She sat Olivia down on the bed and kneeled in front of her. "You are _not_ fat. You look so amazing, baby." She leaned forward and placed a kiss on each of her breast. Olivia shivered. "I especially love the _girls_. I always said they were magnificent, but they just keep getting better and better."

Olivia couldn't help it. She cracked a smile. "God Cabot, you are such a breast bunny."

Alex flashed a lascivious grin before kissing her soundly. "I'm more of a Benson bunny. I love every inch of you and if you don't get some clothes on this very instant, I'm going to show you just how much."

That did it. Alex had somehow made her come out of her darkening mood. "Well that's all well and good but if I don't find anything to wear, _everyone_ will be seeing every inch of me."

Alex nodded and stood. "Well we can't have that. I'd hate to be arrested for attacking anyone who dares to ogle my gorgeous girlfriend. So let's see what I can do to help."

Alex went into the closet and after a few failed attempts she found a pair of dark grey slacks. They were just loose enough for Olivia to button them underneath her growing tummy. She then found a simple white button down shirt then layered it with a black cardigan sweater. Once Olivia had her leather jacket, the outfit was complete.

"This will do until we get to the stores?"

"Stores?"

"Yes, darling." Alex flashed teasing grin. "I'm taking you shopping… right now."

Olivia stopped and instantly paled. She _hated_ shopping with Alex. The woman had a black belt in it. "But…"

"Oh no." Alex held up a hand. "You're going. Not only am I going to get you something amazing for tonight, but I'm getting you an entirely new wardrobe so we don't have to go through this again and you're _going _to like it, Detective."

Olivia groaned as Alex pulled her out the door. "I should have just worn my underwear."

* * *

"You really need to stop staring at me like that, Counselor. We won't make it to this party if you don't." Olivia said trying to hide her blush.

Blue eyes twinkled behind black frames as she turned her gaze back to the road. "I can't help it if my girlfriend is incredibly sexy."

Olivia continued to blush as she tried not to squirm in the passenger seat of the car. Alex had kept her word. She had taken Olivia shopping and to her own surprise Olivia _had _liked it.

It wasn't the fact that Alex had pampered her that made Olivia enjoy the little shopping excursion. It was just the way the blonde had taken delight in seeing her in every single article of clothing. Alex had sat in the _'husband'_ chair with the sexiest little smirk on her face as she watched the attendants help Olivia dress and undress. Olivia felt like the blonde had x-ray vision. She felt naked no matter what she had on. Then came the touching; Alex found a way to caress her every chance she got. By the time, they had returned to Olivia's apartment, Olivia was climbing the walls with arousal. They had made love nearly all afternoon until they were forced out of bed to get ready.

Olivia knew Alex had done this to make sure she was distracted. They both knew that allowing Alex to spoil her would always make Olivia uncomfortable, but she was learning to deal with it. This was just another way Alex expressed her love. She loved Olivia and wanted to give her the world… or at least what little Olivia would allow her to.

"You think anyone will notice that we're late?"

Alex chuckled. "Will John Munch be there?"

"Yes."

"Well, you can be certain that they have already been discussing the possible reasons behind our tardiness and I can assure you that us having sex is one of them. John would probably have a heart attack if he knew he was right this time."

Olivia laughed. "You know it's only because he has a thing for you. He always has. You're his fantasy girl."

Alex slipped out of the car and handed the keys to the valet. She reached down and helped Olivia out as the valet opened the passenger door. Olivia blushed again. Whoever said chivalry was dead hadn't met Alexandra Cabot.

"Well, my dear, I will have to remain just that; a fantasy..." She brought Olivia's hand up to her lips and kissed it. "…because I have a fantasy of my own. Are you ready for this?"

"Well, considering that this little dress I'm wearing will leave little about my condition to the imagination, I'd better be." Olivia joked nervously as she gave herself the once over again.

The dress she was wearing was a burgundy Chanel sleeveless sheath that fell at the knee. It dipped low in the front showing off her impressive 'girls' as Alex referred to them. It fit her like a glove and it showed off all of her curves especially the small baby bump in front.

"You look so beautiful. Don't worry. I'll be right there with you."

* * *

The small dinner party was in full swing by the time they arrived. Olivia glanced around the room and saw the regular turnout. Amanda and John were seated at the end closest to the entrance. She assumed the handsome guy next to Amanda was her date. Nick was seated across from Fin and Melinda Warner. Olivia smirked. She had seen those two together quite a bit lately. She was the only one who knew that Fin had a secret crush on the doctor for years but he had never pursued her because she was married. A year after her divorce was finalized; things seemed to be very different. George Huang, his partner David, a few other officers and friends were sitting on the far end. Captain Cragen, of course, was in the middle of the table holding court.

Just as predicted, when Alex helped Olivia out of her jacket their close friends fell silent. Olivia thought a quick announcement might be best, but it turned out to be unnecessary. Alex looked her in the eyes for a long moment before placing a gentle hand over Olivia's small stomach. When Olivia smiled back, the blonde gave her loving kiss on the cheek. To the average person, the sight was nothing more than a touching moment shared between two people in love. However, this was room full of seasoned detectives trained to notice the smallest of details.

Amanda's eyes lit up first. "Oh my God!"

"What?" John said not yet catching on.

Amanda continued to stare at the couple. She met Olivia's eyes then pointed. "Are you... Are you serious?"

Olivia's smile widened and she nodded her head. Alex, with her hand still in place, was beaming.

Fin was the next to latch on to the clues. He was grinning from ear to ear. "Cabot, you are officially my new hero! If you were a guy, I'd say you were _'The Man!'_"

Alex chuckled. "Uh… Thank you… I think."

Melinda rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm. "That's wonderful news you two. Congratulations!"

"Well I'll be damned." Nick grinned and held up his drink. "Enhorabuena!"

"What the hell is going on?" John asked. "What's with all the congrats?"

Fin rolled his eyes and leaned across the table. "What kind of detective are you, man? Can't you tell when a woman is having a baby?"

John blinked and looked back and forth between Olivia and Alex then simply lifted his glass. "Mazel tov!"

Before long, everyone in the small dinner party had embraced and congratulated them. Cragen had given a brief toast offering his love and support. Everyone teased that Olivia and Alex had cheated and made them all look bad by giving Cragen the best gift of the night. All in all, things could not have gone better. It was strange. No one asked about the father or how the baby had come to be. Olivia was sure that the guys had put two and two together. They all knew about her past with Cassidy and they were detectives after all. No one seemed to care though. They just rejoiced in happiness because Olivia and Alex seemed thrilled.

After dinner, the guys had managed to whisk Alex off to the bar. They had deemed her to be the _'guy'_ in the scenario and felt it was their duty to share their fatherly wisdom with her. They also managed to ply her with several shots of Patron. She had tried to resist, insisting that she couldn't drink because she was driving. Olivia had simply waved her off and told her to have a little fun; she could drive them home. To be honest, Olivia thought Alex needed it. The younger woman had been so steadfast and reliable the past few months. She had been Olivia's rock. Olivia was glad to see her just let go if only for a little while.

A couple of hours later, the dinner party had died down and everyone had headed home. By the time Olivia made the short drive back to Alex's apartment, she could tell that the alcohol had the blonde was feeling rather relaxed and quite frisky. She had to admit that she liked this side of Alex. The blonde had pounced on her as soon as they walked through the door. They had left a trail of heels, dresses, and underwear all the way up to the bedroom. They had made love long into the early morning hours before passing out in an exhausted heap.

TBC…

* * *

Coming Soon: Changes to make


	21. Chapter 21

Thank you guys so much for reading my little story. I appreciate the feedback. If you're a fan of The Cosby Show, you might recognize a line I stole from an old episode. I thought it fit Alex and Olivia perfectly. Here is the next installment. I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Chapter 21: Making a Case

The morning after Cragen's dinner party, Alex was extremely thankful that it was Sunday and she didn't have to work. She wasn't completely hung-over, but she wasn't operating anywhere near one hundred percent. It had been a long time since she had consumed that much alcohol; she now remembered why. Olivia had helped her nurse the lingering effects of the tequila without even teasing her, even though Alex knew that she had wanted to. Around lunch time, Olivia declared that they needed some fresh air. She prepared a quick picnic lunch and they headed to the park to enjoy the pleasant spring weather.

Alex had spread a thick blanket out in a soft grassy area under a huge tree while Olivia unpacked their sandwiches and fruit. Once the food was all gone, Olivia pulled out the book she had recently started reading and patted her lap. Alex took the hint and lay on her back with her head in Olivia's lap. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment as she felt Olivia's hands sifting through her hair.

"If you keep doing that, I'm going to fall asleep on you."

Olivia looked away from her book and smiled down into blue eyes. "Why would that be such a bad thing? You've been working really hard lately, not to mention the late night we had last night. I know you're tired."

Alex groaned. "Ugh… Remind me to _never_ drink with those guys ever again."

Olivia chuckled. "How's the headache, _Daddy_?"

Alex rolled her eyes at the nickname she'd been given the previous night. "It's finally down to a dull roar. I'm just feeling a little sluggish still. It should wear off in a little while."

"I hate that you were feeling bad this morning, but I have to say that I was glad to see you relax a bit last night. You needed to have some fun."

"I think we both did. It's been... a bit intense lately hasn't it?" Alex said playing with Olivia's fingers.

"Ain't that the truth."

A long comfortable silence fell between them and Alex closed her eyes for a while. When she opened them, she was granted with a lovely sight. Olivia had placed her book aside and tilted her head up. She was staring up at the sky as she her long brown hair blew in the gentle breeze. Alex just watched her for a while. "God, you are so beautiful."

Olivia blinked and looked down at the blonde, shyly shaking her head. "Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Say things like that to me. I swear… you are the only person that has ever been able to make me blush this much."

Alex sat up and faced Olivia. "Do I make you uncomfortable?" She asked earnestly.

"No." Olivia shook her head. "It's just… no one has ever said things like that to me… not without wanting something from me."

Alex knew what she meant. She nodded. "Well… the only thing I want is for you to know how I feel about you. I want to make you happy."

"You do. You make me… _extremely_ happy." Olivia frowned a little.

"Hey, what's with that look?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "I know it might sound kind of cliché, but I don't think I really understood what it meant to be happy before you came back into my life. I don't even feel like I'm the same person anymore. I just hope I can make you happy too, Alex. You deserve so much more than I could ever give you."

Alex took both of Olivia's hands into her own and kissed them. "The greatest thing you could ever give me is your heart, Olivia. That's all I've ever wanted."

"You have that… always have and always will."

"Then that's enough. Because you _do_ make me happy, more than you could ever know."

* * *

Once they returned from the park, the day passed with little fanfare. Several of their friends and family had called to offer their congratulations. Apparently, the news had traveled fast and they were now the talk of the town. Alex made a mental note to call her godmother soon. She didn't want her to hear about it as gossip by the water cooler. There would be hell to pay for that.

Olivia had called her half-brother, Simon, and shared the news with him. The smile Olivia was wearing when she finished the call made Alex want to meet this mystery man. She was sure she would like him; Alex liked anyone that made Olivia genuinely smile.

After dinner, they cuddled on the sofa as they watched a marathon of an old crime drama.

"Wouldn't it be nice if we could actually catch the perp and solve the case in under an hour?" Olivia said.

Alex chuckled. "Just think of all the time we'd have to do other things. I think I'd like to learn to knit so I could knit Sprout a pair of booties."

Olivia laughed. "You? Knitting? Don't quit your day job, Cabot."

"Hey, I could be good at knitting if I wanted." Alex pouted.

Olivia laughed and leaned over and quickly kissed her on the cheek. "Of course you could, sweetheart. You can learn to be good at anything you put your mind to."

"Okay, now you're just patronizing me."

"Maybe just a little."

Olivia's favorite part of the show came on and she quickly became quiet again. Alex smirked. She knew Olivia liked the actress that portrayed the prosecutor. Alex didn't really mind because the actress bore a striking resemblance to herself; she even had the same glasses.

"Do you see how the detectives on this show are able to talk their ADA into doing whatever they want? That would never happen in reality." Olivia said suddenly.

Alex looked at her in shock. "Uh… Hello! That's all you guys ever did to me."

"Not true, Alex."

"Seriously, Detective? Let the record show…"

Olivia rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh lord, the record is showing again."

Alex used a throw pillow to smack Olivia's head. They both laughed.

"We did manage to talk you into a few tough spots didn't we?" Olivia said sheepishly.

"We?" Alex said raising a brow.

Olivia laughed. "Okay... _I…_ might have pressured you into a few tough situations. I know I probably caused you quite a few headaches over the years."

"Maybe a few." Alex admitted with a laugh. "But I had a crush the size of Texas on you. I would have thrown myself at the mercy of Judge Petrovsky's court to get whatever you wanted."

Olivia shook her head and smiled shyly. "I still have a hard time believing that."

"What?"

"That _Alex andra Cabot_ had a crush on me."

Alex's eyes softened; the love she felt shining through. "What's not to like? You're awfully cute."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She glanced at the clock and sighed. "It's getting late. I'd better be going."

Alex pouted. "Do you have to? Why don't you just stay?"

"Because my laundry is going to stand up and do itself if I put it off any longer, not to mention my poor plants." Olivia said standing.

Alex reached out and grabbed her hand. "I'm great at laundry and watering plants."

Olivia laughed. "No, you're not. You dry clean all of your _ridiculously_ expensive clothes."

"Okay. You have a point, but that's not because I can't do laundry. I can; I just don't have the time. I also have plants and I'm excellent at watering."

Olivia looked at her strangely. She didn't know why Alex was making a case out of this.

"Alex, you are not going to drive all the way over to my place to help me with laundry then drive all the way back here. Because that is _exactly_ what you would have to do since you have an ungodly early appearance before Judge Petrovsky first thing in the morning. Lord knows you don't need to do anything to piss her off again."

Alex gave her a shy smile. "That's not exactly what I meant, Liv."

Olivia was confused. Alex pulled her back down to sit on the sofa. She caressed her hand for a moment before nervously meeting Olivia's gaze.

"I want you to move in with me." She said quietly.

Olivia just looked at her for a moment. She opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to find the right words.

"Oh. Umm… Uhh…"

Alex closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "Okay. That was _not_ the response I was hoping for." She went to rise from the sofa when Olivia stopped her. "We can just forget I said anything."

"No. Wait! Come back here." She turned Alex to face her. "Have you thought about this, Alex?"

"Olivia, when have you ever known me to do anything that I haven't thought through?"

Olivia nodded. "I'm just asking because that's a pretty big step for us."

"Are you saying you haven't even thought about us living together?"

"Of course I have but we've only been together as a couple for a few of months. I've never been a fan of becoming the lesbian stereotype U-hauling as soon as the words I love you are mentioned. Do you think we're ready for that?"

"I do." Alex said evenly.

Olivia still looked a little unsure. "I just don't want you to do anything you will regret. I know you're committed to this, Alex. You don't have to prove anything to me."

Alex stood abruptly and began to pace. She looked like she was presenting her closing arguments to the jury. "This is not about me proving to you that I'm committed, Olivia. I'm not some lovesick teenager. I'm a big girl and I know what I'm doing. This is about me wanting you with me as much as possible." She paused and faced Olivia. "Will you just hear me out? I think you'll agree if you hear my argument."

Olivia chuckled. Of course Alex had an argument prepared. Alex was ever the attorney. "Alright, I'm listening."

"First: Yes, we've only been a couple for a few months, but we've known one another for twelve years; in love for the majority of that time. We're best friends and I don't think we could know one another more than we already do. Second: We're practically living together already. If I'm not with you at your apartment, you're here with me. The only time we spend apart is when one or both of us are completely swamped with work."

"Alex…"

"Third: You're pregnant and growing more pregnant every day. And I know that _technically_ I'm not the other parent, but I want to be here for you. I don't want to have to worry about you when you're away from me. And I do; I worry all the time."

"Alex…"

"Fourth: It will become…"

"Alexandra Cabot!"

Alex finally stopped and faced a laughing Olivia. "Has anyone ever told you that you talk way too much?"

She frowned. "Why are you laughing? This is serious, Olivia."

"I know and I happen to think you've made a very strong case, Counselor. You can stop now."

Alex folded her arms and pouted. "But I wasn't finished yet. I had one more point."

Olivia shook her head. If Alexandra Cabot had grown up to be anything other than a lawyer, it would have been a tragedy for the legal world. "Okay. If you must, make your last point."

"Fourth: It will become increasingly difficult for me to cater to all of your weird cravings that are sure to come in the near future if I'm living on the other side of the city."

Olivia stood and approached Alex never breaking eye contact. She pulled Alex into her arms and kissed her lips softly. "Are you done now?"

Alex nodded. "Yes."

"Okay." Olivia said simply.

"Okay?" Alex blinked.

"Okay."

A slow smile made its way across the blonde's face. "Okay as in yes… you'll move in with me?"

"Yes. I was about to say yes back when you said that you weren't a lovesick teenager and wanted me with you but you were set on making your case."

Alex smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. It's an occupational hazard."

"No worries. I love seeing you go into counselor mode. It's hot."

"I'm glad you said yes. You know that if you don't like it here, we could always find another place together. I'm sure we can find something near work if you want."

Olivia pulled Alex close and wrapped her arms around her. "Thanks for offering, but I happen to love this apartment. Besides, if we have to look for something else together that could take forever." She rested her forehead against Alex's and closed her eyes. "I can't wait that long.

"Me either." Alex said softly.

"Alright then." She pulled back and nodded. "I'll talk to building management tomorrow about cancelling my lease at the end of the month."

Alex couldn't help grinning like a fool. "Great. It's all set."

"Not quite. You'll have to handle the moving. My girlfriend gets really overprotective and kind of bossy when I try to lift anything over twelve ounces." Olivia's eyes twinkled as her trademark smirk made an appearance.

Alex grinned and pulled out her cell phone. "You know, I just happen to have a moving company on speed dial."

Olivia frowned. "Why on earth would you have a moving company on speed dial?"

"Do you know how many times I've had to pack up my office the last few years?"

"Point taken, but that will have to wait." She said taking the cell phone and tossing it on the sofa.

"Why?"

Olivia slid her arms around Alex's waist and pulled her close again. She nibbled the sensitive spot just below the blonde's ear. "We have to christen all the rooms of _'our'_ place. It's a moving tradition. I'm surprised you've never heard of it."

Blue eyes twinkled. "Uh huh… right. There are quite a few rooms in this apartment, you know?"

Olivia nodded as she pushed Alex down to the sofa. "I know. This could take a while."

"Oh goody!"

TBC...


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews. I love hearing what you all think. Here is another chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Chapter 22: Moving Day

"Hey Olivia, we got all the office furniture from upstairs moved downstairs. We just need to know where you want it." Nick said as he appeared in the doorway of the master bedroom.

Olivia and Amanda were unpacking Olivia's clothes from the boxes and hanging them in the closet. Olivia felt a little guilty about not helping more, but hanging clothes was the only part of the moving process Alex was allowing her to do. She had already been caught trying to lift a small box causing Alex to go all 'Zena Warrior Princess' on her. It didn't matter that the box was nearly empty. Alex had sent her up to the bedroom with Amanda as a chaperone.

Olivia placed the shirts she was folding aside and looked at her partner with a smirk. He looked like a kid in his torn jeans and baseball cap on backwards.

"All the office furniture needs to go in the guest room. Alex is supposed to be down there. That's going to be her new office so you'll have to ask her how she wants it arranged."

Nick gave a quick nod before disappearing around the corner.

Amanda came out of the large walk-in closet to retrieve another batch of clothing to hang. "You know what's sad? I honestly think that closet is bigger than my living room."

Olivia chuckled. "Would you expect Alexandra Cabot to have anything less? There are enough suits and shoes in there to clothe all the women of Manhattan."

"I know! I think she has an entire line of Jimmy Choo's in there." Amanda said dreamily. "It's like being in a mall."

"Would you like to have some time alone with the closet, Amanda?" Olivia teased.

Amanda playfully pushed Olivia's shoulder. "Hey, there is nothing wrong with appreciating beautiful clothes and shoes. I am very much a 'Southern Bell'. My job just doesn't let me display it very often. Besides, I saw that you have quite a few girly things in there too."

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "I like to dress up for Alex now and then just to remind her that I _am_ a female."

Amanda chuckled with a nod. "I do that too, only it's just for my sake."

"You mean you don't dress up for your boyfriend?"

"I would if I had one."

Olivia raised a brow. "Who was that guy you brought to Cragen's dinner a few weeks ago? He was pretty cute."

"That was Craig. He's just a friend."

"He seemed really into you."

Amanda shrugged. "He's a nice guy but he's really not my type. He wants a stay at home wife kinda girl. That's not me."

Olivia nodded. "I can understand that. I don't know if I could ever be the stay at home wife."

"Not even for Cabot?" Amanda asked before she could stop herself. Everyone knew that Alex came from a family with plenty of political ties. She had assumed that Alex would follow in those footsteps.

Olivia thought for a moment. "I would be willing to do anything for Alex. If she decided to run for DA or even Governor, I'd stand beside her and do whatever I could to support her in whatever capacity required because I know she'd do the same for me if the positions were reversed." Olivia said before she hesitated.

"If feel a but coming on." Amanda said.

"But… I don't think she'd ever ask me to _be_ something I'm not. That's just not Alex. I know that if it came down to it, she'd choose our life and happiness over any of that now. She's changed a lot since we first met. Ten years ago, I'm not sure I would have been able to say that."

"You know, I didn't know much about Alex when I joined the squad. I had heard the stories about her taking on the drug cartel and going into Witness Protection. People talked about her as if she was this larger than life legend. Then I met her. I can sort of see why people would say that about her. She walked into the squad room spouting legal jargon and giving orders like she owned the place."

They both laughed and nodded. There was nothing like seeing an arrogant and confident Alexandra Cabot in her element.

"I had never seen anything like it. You hear about how some people can walk into a room and own it; well she actually does it. I gotta say, she can be a little scary."

"Yeah. Alex can have that effect on some people." Olivia laughed. "Don't you dare tell her, but she used to scare me a little too… still does every now and then."

Amanda laughed too. "I've seen a different side of her since you two hooked up though. Don't get me wrong… she's still scary as hell but you seem to make her softer… more approachable."

Olivia shook her head. "That's not my doing. It's just who she is. Once you get to know her, you can see past the designer suits and the icy façade. That's Alex Cabot in work mode. My Alex is something totally different."

Olivia grew quiet and Amanda watched her for a minute. "Hey, where did you go off to just now?"

Olivia instantly smiled. "Sorry."

"Hey, don't apologize. Wherever you were, you seemed very happy to be there." Amanda smirked at the blush growing up the veteran detective's neck.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking that… I can't believe I'm moving in with Alex Cabot and building a new life with her. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think this would be happening to me."

Amanda smiled softly. "You look so in love right now."

"I've loved that woman for a long time. I loved her even when I didn't want to."

"You two are ridiculously cute. You know that right?" Amanda teased.

Olivia rolled her eyes and went back to unpacking. "Whatever. Let's get this done before Alex comes up here and tears us a new one. I can't afford to get into more trouble with her today. It would be so tragic if I ended up being banished to the guest room on my first official night here."

The two detectives laughed and returned to packing; neither noticing the topic of their conversation standing just outside the door. Alex leaned against the wall and smiled to herself. After hearing those tender words, there was no way Olivia would be sleeping anywhere but in their bed tonight. She shook her head and headed back downstairs.

* * *

"There you are. I was wondering where you wandered off to." Serena said placing Alex's law books back on the bookshelves.

Alex glanced around. She was really going to have to thank Nick, Fin, and John for helping. They had taken care of all the heavy lifting. They even moved her entire office downstairs to the spare room since her old study would become the nursery soon.

"Hey… earth to Alex. Are you still with me?" Serena said snapping her fingers in front of her best friend's eyes.

Alex blinked and shook her head. "Sorry. What were you saying?"

"I was asking where you had been, but I think I already know. You always have this goofy lovesick expression on her face after you've been around Olivia." Serena said pretending to gag.

Alex laughed and shoved her shoulder. "Shut up. It isn't like I haven't had to watch you fawn all over Abbie for years."

Serena suddenly tensed up and went back to placing items on the shelves. Alex immediately knew something was wrong. She allowed Serena to work in silence until she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Serena, what's going on? I wasn't going to say anything, but I can tell you haven't been yourself lately. You've been really quiet today too. Are you alright? I mean… are you ill or…"

Serena smiled sadly at her friends concern. She shook her head. "I'm fine… really."

"Then what's wrong? And don't tell me that it's nothing because I _know_ you." Alex said placing a hand on Serena's arm stopping her movements.

Serena sighed and turned to face her friend. "Abbie and I are having some… issues."

"Issues? What do you mean? Did Abbie cheat on you? Because if she did, I'll kick her ass all the way back to…"

Serena shook her head and stopped Alex before she went on a tirade. "No. No. Abbie didn't, nor would she ever cheat on me."

"Then what is it?"

Alex's heart ached as she saw Serena's eyes water. She stepped away and closed the door, giving them privacy. Taking Serena by the hand, she pulled them over to the sofa and sat down.

"Talk to me."

"Alex, this can wait. This is supposed to be a happy day for you and Olivia."

Alex took Serena's hand and made Serena meet her eyes.

"Serena, you've been my best friend since we were ten years old. I'm closer to you than most of my family. You _are_ my family. If something is wrong, I want to know it. Talk to me…please." Alex pleaded.

Serena sighed. "I think Abbie and I want different things."  
"Meaning?"

"Meaning… what I want isn't what she wants anymore."

"You're going to have to help me out a little bit here, Rena."

"I'm at a place in my life… where I want something more than just my work. I want a stable home with a woman who is in the same city with me for more than a few days at a time. I want someone to come home to and know they will be there in the morning." Serena looked at Alex with sad eyes. "I want what you're about to have with Olivia."

"You want Abbie to move back to the city permanently?" Alex asked even though she knew it was much more.

"I want her to at least want to consider the option. I want her to _want_ to be with me."

"She does, Serena. You know Abbie loves you."

"That's not what this is about. I know Abbie loves me. I love her too, but we are in two different places in our lives now." Serena leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "Seeing you with Olivia these past few weeks got me to thinking about my own life. I'm not getting any younger, Alex. If having a family is in my future, I have to start at least thinking about it now. I can't keep putting it off."

Alex bit her lip. "What does Abbie say about all of this?"

"She keeps saying that we'll discuss it; just not right now. There is always another promotion or another case that takes precedence."

"Well, Abbie has never hidden the fact that she didn't want to have a baby. She's never made that a secret, Serena." Alex said.

Serena nodded. "Yes, but she was always open to the possibility of having a child with _me _one day… at least she always _said_ she was."

"You think she's changed her mind; that she doesn't want kids at all?"

"I think Abbie loves being the hotshot Federal Prosecutor. She likes not having anything holding her down. I don't know if she'll ever be ready for that kind of life."

"So where does that leave you two?"

"Right now… exactly where we've always been. We've decided to table the discussion until after the New Year. We both have so much on our plates right now it wouldn't be a good time to really make any decisions anyway. Once everything calms down, Abbie promised that we would sit down and have a serious discussion and make some decisions about our future."

Serena just hoped their future would be together. She wasn't so sure about that.

Alex looked at her friend and her heart ached for her. She had been there from the beginning. She'd watched the two women yell, scream, and eventually fall madly in love with one another. Alex had always assumed they would be together forever."

"Is there anything I can do?"

Serena shook her head. "You're doing it. I just needed someone to listen. I didn't mean to put a damper on your day though."

Alex pulled Serena into a tight hug. "You hush! You're my best friend. You wiped more tears than I can remember over the years while I was pining over a certain detective."

Serena laughed as she pulled away. "I did didn't I? You really did have it bad for her."

Alex shrugged her shoulders sheepishly; glad to see Serena smiling again. "I hope you know that I'm here if you need me."

"I do. Thank you… for listening."

"Any time."

A sharp knock came from the door followed by a familiar voice. "Southerlyn, you better not be putting the moves on my girl in there!"

Alex and Serena giggled.

"Quick! Put your shirt back on, Alex! It's Olivia!" Serena said in a loud breathy voice.

Alex fell back on the sofa in laughter. "Oh God, Serena, but it feels so good!"

Olivia opened the door. She stood with her hands on her hips glaring at them both. "Very funny you two. If you're finished with your comedy act, lunch is ready."

"Great! I'm starving. Alex _really_ worked me out." She smirked and winked at Olivia as she passed by.

Olivia shook her head and laughed as she turned back to a still giggling Alex. "She really is a handful isn't she? The innocent face could really fool you."

Alex draped her arms over Olivia's shoulders as Olivia pulled her close. "It came in handy when we were kids. Her sweet face and my skillful tongue got us out of a lot of jams."

Olivia rested her forehead against Alex's and groaned. "How about we go feed these people and get them out of here and maybe you could show me some of those skills?"

"In a hurry to be alone, Detective?"

Olivia leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Alex's lips. "You have no idea."

"Well, let's go then. After they leave, we can take all day to see if my skills are still up to par."

Olivia trailed behind with a wide grin on her face. "Moving day rocks!"

TBC...

* * *

Coming Soon... Nothing is perfect forever.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Like always, let me know your thoughts and suggestions.

* * *

Chapter 23: Bumps Along the Way

"So how did the big move go last weekend?" Julia Harriman asked her niece as they shared brunch on the terrace of the Waldorf Astoria.

Alex grinned. "Everything went really well. Olivia's friends from the station came over and helped out. The guys were great. They did all the heavy lifting. There wasn't much for us women to do other than rearranging everything. We spent most of the day gossiping and supervising. It was perfect."

Alex's aunt laughed. "Sounds like my kind of moving. You all must have had a grand time then."

"We did." Alex nodded. "Amanda Rollins; she's the other female detective. During lunch, she kept us entertained with these outlandish stories about working down in Atlanta, Georgia. I thought poor Serena was going to pass out she was laughing so hard. Lord knows she needed to laugh."

Julia's interest piqued. "Is something going on with Serena?"

Julia had known the younger woman for many years and considered her family.

Alex bit her lip, not wanting to betray Serena's confidence. "I don't want to say too much but she and Abbie are facing a few issues."

"Well, I hope they can work through them." Julia said evenly.

Alex knew her aunt very well. She could tell when the older woman wanted to say more simply by the tone of her voice.

"You don't think they will, do you?"

Julia leveled her niece with a cool azure gaze. "One thing I've learned being married all these years is that a good marriage is more about compromise than it is about sacrifice. It might seem noble to sacrifice your own needs for the one you love, but the best relationships are those where the sacrifice isn't needed because both parties are willing to compromise. You'd do well to remember that, Alexandra."

Alex sat in silence and allowed her aunt's words to sink in. It wasn't often that Julia Harriman dished out relationship advice. When she did, it was wise to take heed.

"Are you trying to tell me something, Aunt Julia?"

Julia gently patted Alex's hand and smiled. "Oh, don't worry yourself too much, dear. I'm just an old woman talking nonsense. You shouldn't spend too much time worrying over Serena and Abigail either. Those two will figure things out for themselves. You have your own relationship to concentrate on. How is Olivia by the way?"

"Olivia is fine. She's been exhausted the last couple of weeks, but she won't admit it. She's stubborn like that. Other than that small issue, she is doing great. Sprout is coming along just fine too."

Julia laughed at the baby's nickname. "I'm so glad you've found someone who cares so deeply about you. You were alone for so long. We worried about you. It seemed the only thing that mattered was your career."

"For a while, that was all I had. I was young and stupid then. I thought I had all the answers. I actually thought I could live a life being someone I wasn't just so I could maybe one day be the DA or Governor." She shook her head sadly. "How ironic is it that I ended up spending years of my life in Witsec doing just that… pretending."

Julia watched her niece closely. Alex had never spoken openly about her time away, not even to her or Bill. She imagined that it must have been intensely painful.

"Sometimes we don't realize the price we pay for our choices until it's too late."

"I've found myself thinking about my choices a lot these days. I look at the life I have with Olivia now and I wonder…"

"Wonder what?"

"I wonder how different things would be if I hadn't been so stubborn; if I had just dropped that case like Olivia asked me to. I wonder if we would have gotten involved sooner. So many things would have been different. We wouldn't have spent all those painful years apart. I wouldn't have hurt Robert. I even think that Olivia and I might have gotten married and started a family." She paused and stared down at the food she was pushing around her plate. "… and baby she's carrying would actually be _mine_." She finished in a whisper.

Julia reached across the table and took Alex's hand. "You can't live your life on what ifs. It only leads to madness."

"I know, but I can't help but think that I somehow caused all of this or at the very least set it into motion."

"Oh sweetheart, life doesn't work that way. You made your choices, but Olivia made her choices as well. Besides, there are no guarantees in life. There is no way to know that if you had made a different choice that you and Olivia would have ended up together sooner. Who knows and does it really matter now? You can only deal with the here and now. You _are_ with Olivia. You _are_ preparing to raise a child with her. That is your reality now."

"You're right; I am with her." Alex said softly. Julia watched her niece's expression grow soft and then transform into a content smile. "I love her so much, Aunt Julia. It actually scares me to death sometimes because she's become my entire life; her and that baby."

"Good." Julia nodded. "I've seen the way she looks at you. I have no doubt that she feels the same way. She makes you happy and that is all Bill and I ever wanted for you. It's what your mother and father wanted most for you."

Alex swallowed the lump in her throat. "Do you think they would have approved?"

"We know Alexander would have. You were his little princess. He didn't care what you did as long as you were happy doing it." Julia paused and smiled sadly thinking of her beloved sister. "Now, your mother was a tough cookie. We both know Helena had high expectations for you, but that was only because she could see your potential and more importantly, she didn't want you to turn out like so many of these other rich brats running around. Your father would have spoiled you rotten if she would have allowed him, but a child needs stability. Helena knew this. She also knew the pressures you would have to endure simply because you were born a Cabot. She wanted to make sure you were prepared for that. So she allowed herself to be the bad guy most of the time so you could continue to idolize your father. That is what a _real_ mother will do for her child, Alexandra. I want you to remember that."

Alex used her napkin to wipe a few tears away from her eyes. With all the talk about motherhood, she had thought of her own mother a lot lately.

"I just always thought she was being overbearing. I guess I never looked at it that way."

"Your mother adored you from the day you were born, Alexandra. I remember watching her hold you for the first time. She couldn't stop looking at you." She paused and sighed. "But after she lost your father, she was devastated. I know she clung to you even more after that. You were Helena's last piece of him, but you must know that she always loved you simply because you were her daughter. She was so very proud of everything you ever did."

"Even after she figured out that I would never be the traditional Cabot wife?"

Julia laughed. "It wasn't like it was ever a huge mystery, Alexandra, even before you actually came out to the family. Isabella and Theodora sat your mother and father down and gave them a heads up when you were about sixteen. Neither of them ever blinked an eye about it. I think we all knew long before you even realized it yourself. The only person in the family that didn't know was your poor Uncle Bill. God love him, he just never seemed to pick up on the clues and kept trying to set you up on dates when you got older. Your mother finally grew tired of him pushing all those young men on you. She came over to dinner one evening and just flat-out told Bill to choose from the _fairer_ sex if he was so hell-bent on you getting married anytime soon."

Alex snorted. She looked into amused blue eyes so much like her own. "That doesn't sound like my mother. When was this?"

"Oh, your mother could be quite the firecracker when she wanted, especially when it came to you. She was always fiercely protective of you. If I remember correctly, she warned Bill off of you shortly after you started working in the DA's office. She told me that she was sure you had fallen in love with a co-worker. She was worried you would get your heart broken."

A slow smiled emerged across Alex's face. She sat dumbfounded for a moment. "I think she knew… She knew I was in love with Olivia."

"She never mentioned a name or Olivia specifically."

"She didn't have to."

"What makes you say that?"

"Mom met Olivia by accident shortly after I started working there. Mom dropped by my office unexpectedly. She interrupted a rather _intense_ discussion between Olivia and me. Mom had the strangest look on her face when we finally noticed her standing there. When I introduced them, Olivia practically charmed my mother's pants off. Thinking back, it actually made me a little jealous. After that, Mom stopped asking if I was dating anyone or if I had any romantic prospects on the horizon. She _did_, however, ask after Olivia every time we spoke."

Julia chuckled.

Alex shook her head. "You know, she once mentioned how difficult it would be to love someone so dedicated to a job. I always thought Mom was referring to me and how much time I spent working. I think she actually meant it would be hard for _me_ because of how dedicated _Olivia_ is to SVU."

"Your mother always was rather astute. I imagine it would be quite difficult considering how committed Olivia is to her work."

Alex shrugged her shoulders. "It's who she is. It's one of the reasons why I fell in love with her in the first place. Besides, it's not like I don't work just as much."

"True, but you're not the one carrying this child. Eventually, Olivia is going to have to slow down a bit… both of you will. I may not have children of my own, but I've seen firsthand how a child changes a person's life."

"Can I ask you something extremely personal, Aunt Julia?"

"When have I ever been anything but an open book to you?"

Alex bit her lip. "Why didn't you and Uncle Bill ever have children of your own? You've always been so wonderful to me. I can only imagine how lucky your own child would have been to have you as parents."

Julia sighed and looked off into the distance. "I'm surprised it took you all these years to actually ask. The answer is obvious. I was very career driven. I wanted to make partner in my firm. Bill was just as ambitious. His career took off and before we knew it, that time in our lives had passed."

"And you never regretted it?"

Julia shook her head. "No. It was the right choice for us. Are you having second thoughts about your choice to raise this child with Olivia?"

"No, of course not. I'm absolutely sure about that. It's just… you said Olivia and I will both have to slow down soon. I know we both have to change the way we live our lives and I'm okay with that. I just don't know if Olivia has really taken the time to think about how different our lives will be once this baby gets here."

"Is that a conversation you two have avoided?"

"Not on purpose. It's just been one thing after another since we got together. We discussed it a little when we were in Greece. Olivia made it clear that she wants to continue to work which is fine with me. I couldn't even imagine Olivia being anything other than a detective. She loves her work. It's her life."

"Well, I suppose that is something you two should discuss because that _life_ is about to change…whether you're ready or not." Julia reached across the table and squeezed Alex's hand. "Alexandra, I know that I'm not Helena and I wouldn't dare attempt to ever take my sister's place. But I want you to know that you are very much a daughter to me. Bill and I will always be here for you and Olivia. I think you're going to make a wonderful mother." She grinned mischievously. "And I'm going to make an even _better_ grandmother."

Tears flooded Alex's eyes again. This time she didn't wipe them away. She smiled through them. "I think so too."

* * *

Later that night, Alex groaned as the annoying sound of the "Bad Boys" song that rang out loudly in the bedroom. She reached over and shook the snoring body next to her. She received a low rumble in return.

"Liv? Liv, it's your phone."

"It's not mine."

Alex rubbed her sleepy eyes. "Well it's not mine. I have a _normal_ and less annoying ringtone."

Somewhere underneath several pillows came a stream of colorful and foul words. It always amused Alex to no end how such a well spoken gentle soul could have such a potty mouth. The woman could make the most hardcore sailors blush. Finally, a long arm came out from underneath the comforter along with more colorful language about Fin.

"Hand it over. It's on your side." Olivia grumbled.

Alex snatched the phone up from her nightstand and placed it in Olivia's outstretched hand.

"Benson." She practically growled.

Alex hoped the person calling had a good reason because she knew that Olivia was exhausted. The brunette had even admitted as much when she had arrived home a few hours ago. Now, it appeared that she was being called back to work after only getting three hours of sleep. The hours Olivia was putting in would be difficult for anyone to handle, let alone someone four months pregnant.

Alex wanted to be pissed at the captain, the unit, or anyone else she could think of for not forcing the brunette to take it easy, but she couldn't really blame them. Olivia was a grown up and it was her responsibility to take better care of herself. She had hoped Olivia would take the initiative to cut her hours and take a desk assignment, but the stubborn detective was determined to continue to carry her weight in the unit. Alex knew she and Olivia were going to have to talk. Although it needed to happen, that was not a conversation Alex was looking forward to having.

"A ten year old girl was brought in with signs of rape and abuse over at Bellevue. She won't talk to Nick."

Alex had already sat up and switched on the bedside lamp. "Liv, you're exhausted."

"I was able to get a little sleep."

"You barely got three hours, Liv. You look dead on your feet."

Olivia grunted. "I'll be fine."

Alex sighed and decided to try a different tactic. "If the child would feel more comfortable with a woman, they could always call Rollins in for the interview. I'm sure she could handle it."

"Rollins isn't catching this weekend; Nick and I are." Olivia said walking into their closet. She quickly found the clothing she left out for late night calls. She grabbed her shoes and returned to the bed.

Alex watched her sit on the bed to put on her shoes. She moved behind her and rubbed her shoulders. "Liv…are you telling me that there isn't a single female detective that could handle this?"

The lack of sleep and this conversation was grating on Olivia's already frayed nerves. "I already told Nick I'd meet him there. He'll be waiting. I have to go."

"You _don't_ have to go. You've been working nearly nonstop for the last week. You came home dead on your feet tonight. I think Nick would understand if you sent Rollins down instead."

"Alex, this is my job. You know that." Olivia said. She stood and grabbed her badge and gun from the dresser.

"Liv, you have to take better care of yourself."

"Alex, I really don't have time to do this now. I have to go."

"No you don't. What is the point of being the unit's senior detective if you don't delegate every now and then?"

"I don't tell you how to do your job, Alex. Don't try to tell me how to do mine." Olivia snapped.

"You're pregnant, Olivia. You can't keep..."

Olivia turned quickly. "You think I don't know that I'm pregnant, Alex? Trust me. You won't _let_ me forget it! I'm beginning to think that's the only thing you see!"

Alex blinked at the outburst. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Olivia mumbled.

"No. You have something to say, Detective... so just say it."

"Fine! I am more than _just_ this baby, Alex!"

"I know that, Liv." Alex said growing irritated as well.

"Do you? Because sometimes it doesn't seem like it. I'm still _me_! Being pregnant doesn't make me an invalid nor does it make me suddenly unable to make decisions for _myself_."

Alex took a breath and tried to calm down. This conversation was taking a downward turn quickly. "Olivia, I just want you to take care of yourself and…"

"Last time I checked, you were my _girlfriend_ and not my mother, Alex!" Olivia snapped.

Alex blinked. "What did you just…" She bit back the retort on her tongue.

Alex knew Olivia was tired; so was she. This was not a conversation to be had at three am. She knew they had to stop before this went too far.

Olivia sighed heavily and ran a hand through her hair. "Look, Alex…"

"No." Alex held up a hand. "I think it might be better if we have this talk later when we've both taken a breather."

"Oh, now you _don't_ want to talk?"

"You know what, I get that you're tired and irritated right now, but that's your doing not mine. You're the one that is determined to be SVU's personal super-detective! What the hell are you trying to prove, Olivia?"

"I'm not trying to prove anything, Alex. I'm just trying to do my job... or is your job the only one that matters. This never seems to be an issue when you spend late nights at your office, Counselor!"

"I'm not the one pregnant!"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Like I said, it's not like you _ever_ let me forget that."

Alex took a deep breath and slowly let it out. They stared each other down for a moment. "We're going to drop this for now before either of us says something that we can't take back. I want you to know that I love you and I want you to please be careful tonight."

Alex flicked the lamp off and fell back into bed without another word.

Olivia stared at the unmoving figure in the bed for a moment before clipping her gun into place and walking out the door. It wasn't until she was in her car on the way to the hospital did she realize that she hadn't told Alex that she'd loved her too.

* * *

Alex popped another two Extra Strength Tylenol capsules in her mouth and washed them down with a sip of water. She had already taken two a few hours before and she still had the headache from hell. After Olivia had left their bed at three in the morning, Alex had been unable to fall back to sleep. She had spent an hour tossing and turning, replaying their argument over in her head until she had finally given up and headed to the shower. She had worked in her home office until six then went to work.

Alex was diligently poring over a new case file when there was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in." She said without looking up.

"Alexandra?"

"Yes, Maggie."

"There is a gentleman requesting to see you, but he does not have an appointment."

Alex frowned with confusion. Although Alex was technically the boss, everyone knew that Maggie was in charge. She was the gatekeeper of the office. She was the person who decided who saw Alex and when. It was a running joke among her friends that Alex had to ask Maggie permission to come out and play. Alex didn't know why Maggie was suddenly asking for her input now.

"Uh… okay. Do I know this gentleman?"

Maggie stiffened. "Yes."

When Maggie offered no further information, Alex continued. "You want to tell me who he is, Maggie?"

"Since you asked... No, I'd rather not."

"Maggie?" Alex said sternly.

Maggie sighed. "His name is Robert… Young."

"Oh."

Alex understood now. Maggie had never really approved of the relationship she had with her ex-fiancé. The older woman had stated more than once that she thought Alex was making a mistake by agreeing to marry him after she'd returned from Witsec. It wasn't really anything personal against Robert. Maggie just thought Alex belonged with someone else; someone who could make her happy. Maggie had been right of course.

"Yes. Oh." Maggie said lifting a stern brow.

"Well, do I have time to see him?" Alex asked. Getting Maggie to coöperate was like pulling teeth.

Maggie pursed her lips. "You have an arraignment in Judge Seligman's court in one hour."

"Okay. Well, I suppose you can send him in. I'm sure this won't take very long."

Alex could tell that Maggie didn't like it. The woman was giving her that disapproving glare, but Alex knew she had to see Robert. She owed him that much.

* * *

Olivia rubbed her eyes tiredly as she closed the door to the hospital room behind her. She had spent the last few hours coaxing a ten year old girl to relive the months of abuse she'd endured at the hands of her step-father. The child had clung to her out of fear for hours before falling asleep. Olivia had remained with her until the girl's aunt from out-of-state had finally shown up to take custody. The entire situation was sad and heartbreaking, but what devastated Olivia the most was the fact that this had become nothing out of the ordinary for her.

Feeling the exhaustion weighing down on her shoulders, Olivia rubbed her temples and headed to the elevator. She nearly walked right into a familiar figure as she went to step inside.

"Detective Benson?"

Olivia blinked and looked up. She smiled a little. "Dr. Livingston."

"It's Avery, remember." She said flashing a dimpled grin.

Olivia nodded. "Then you have to call me Olivia."

"Olivia it is."

They both watched the elevator doors open and close; neither stepped on. Avery tilted her head and looked at Olivia closely.

"You look like you've had a hell of a day."

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "Perks of the job."

Avery nodded and glanced at her midsection. "I suppose I should say congratulations."

Olivia frowned. Avery gestured to her baby bump. "Oh, yes. Thanks."

"If you don't mind me saying, you don't look so good. When was the last time you had something to eat or slept?"

Olivia looked as if she was thinking. Avery shook her head. "You cops are always the worst. Come on. I can't do anything about the lack of sleep, but I can feed you. You're going to join me in the cafeteria."

"Avery, I really should…"

"Olivia, you were extremely kind to me during the worst moments of my life. I honestly don't know if I would have made it without you. Let me buy you some orange juice and a sandwich."

Olivia looked at the young woman and finally nodded. "Okay, but make it apple juice. Orange juice has been giving me heartburn lately."

Avery laughed. "You've got yourself a deal."

TBC...

* * *

Coming Up: Much Needed Conversations


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: For some reason, this chapter was harder to write than the others. I don't know if I got it right but here it is anyway. I hope it's okay. Like always, let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.

* * *

Chapter 24: Difficult Conversations

After the sandwiches were eaten and juices drank, Avery and Olivia settled into a comfortable conversation.

"So, how have you been? I haven't had a chance to check in with you for a while." Olivia said.

"I'm getting better. I know it sounds cliché but every day gets a little easier." Avery said in a quiet voice.

"I didn't see you in court the day the Preston's were sentenced."

Avery swallowed hard and nodded. "I probably should have been there, but I... just couldn't. I sat through the trial as much as I could. It was just too hard. Once the jury found them guilty, I knew I needed to leave it behind and try to make peace with what had happened. Although, I don't know if I will ever be able to truly put any of that behind me. I never knew people could be so heartless."

"I heard about the charities you started in Danny's honor."

Avery shrugged her shoulders. "Danny left everything to me, but I was never with her because of the money. I wanted at least one good thing to come out of that tragedy. I didn't want her death to be about greed and violence. Danny was one of the most giving people I had ever met. I think she would have wanted her legacy to be about helping those in need."

"I think you're right about that and those centers will help a lot of women. I'm sure Danny would have approved."

"I hope so. Danny meant the world to me. She was the kind of person that made you want to be better too. She had so much to offer the world. There are times that I miss her so much it hurts. Sometimes I even forget for a little while. My mind fools me and I think I'm going to see her walking out of the bedroom or coming home from work. Those days are the worst. It's like I have to find out that she's gone all over again."

Olivia swallowed hard. The pain in the young woman's voice was palpable. She remembered that feeling. She had felt that way every single day that Alex had been in Witsec. Alex may not have been dead, but Olivia had grieved for her every single day that she was away.

"Hey, enough about me." Avery said changing the subject. "I should ask you how _you've_ been. I didn't know you were expecting."

Olivia laughed a little. "Neither did I."

"So this was a surprise then?"

"Oh, you have no idea just how surprised I was."

There was something about Avery Livingston that made Olivia feel comfortable. She found herself opening up a little. She told Avery about Alex, their history, and how they had found out about the baby. Avery listened intently and laughed here and there at the humorous parts.

"Wow. Your Alex sounds really amazing. I bet she's a looker too." Avery teased.

Olivia blushed. "She is." She pulled a small wallet out of her jacket pocket. She showed Avery a photo of Alex.

"Wow. I was actually just kidding, but she really is gorgeous. You said she's a lawyer for the DA's office, right?"

Olivia nodded proudly. "She's the Executive ADA for Major Cases."

"And smart too. You're a very lucky woman, Olivia."

"Yes, I am." Olivia said softly. "I'm probably the luckiest woman in the world."

"Then… if you don't mind me asking, why do you look like someone kicked your puppy?"

"Because after listening to you talk about Danny and how much you miss her… I just realized that I've been a complete jerk."

Olivia went on to explain the disagreement she'd had with Alex. The young doctor just listened and nodded. When Olivia finished talking, she bit her lip.

"I hope you don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way because I really like talking to you and I hope that we might be able to become friends."

Olivia nodded. "I enjoy talking to you too, Avery. Go on. Say what you want to say."

"From everything you've told me, Alex seems like a wonderful person, but I'm going to bet that she's not perfect. She probably has flaws just like everyone else. If she's smothering you, it's probably because she loves you so much not because she's trying to control you. I'm also going to go out on a limb and guess that if the shoe were on the other foot, you'd be just as protective of her."

Avery was right which only made Olivia feel worse. "Yeah, I know I would. I'd probably tie Alex to a chair if it meant protecting her."

"I don't think you realize it, but you smile just a little every time you say her name. She means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

"She's everything." Olivia whispered.

Avery nodded. "From where I'm sitting, you have something pretty amazing, Olivia. You've found the love of your life and she loves you back just as much. _Nothing_ is more important than that. If I had Danny back, even for just an hour; I'd spend that hour lying in her arms. Nothing… not this job, another person, money, a disagreement… _nothing _else would matter."

Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked back her tears. She nodded and rolled her eyes. "Ok. It's official. I'm an ass."

Avery laughed out loud. "Maybe, but that doesn't mean you have to keep being one."

* * *

Alex came around her desk and greeted a smiling Robert Young. The hug they shared was awkward. They both pulled away and laughed nervously.

"Alexandra, you look wonderful."

"You too, Robert."

Alex took a moment to really look at him. She had to admit that Robert really did look good. He was still in good shape. His hair was dark as night and his wide blue eyes sparkled. Robert wasn't what you would call a pretty man; more like roguishly handsome.

"Well, I'm _feeling_ well these days."

"What brings you to my part of the world? Wealthy businessmen don't usually drop by the DA's office unless they're in trouble with the law." She said waving him over to the sofa.

Robert laughed softly and shook his head as they took a seat. "No trouble here. I assure you. Congratulations on the promotion."

"Thank you."

"I actually came by to share a bit of news with you."

Alex raised a brow. "News?"

Robert nodded and smiled. "I wanted to let you know that… I've met someone and we're getting married. I just…I thought I should let you know before it hit the papers."

Alex nodded. She didn't know how she was supposed to feel about this. She had never been _in love_ with Robert, but she _had_ cared deeply for him. Alex scratched her temple and looked at him. She could see it now. The way his eyes twinkled; the way he smiled boyishly, those were the signs of love.

"That's wonderful, Robert. I am so happy for you."

He seemed to be relieved. "Thank you. Like I said, I just wanted you to hear it from me first."

"You didn't owe me that Robert, but I do appreciate it." Alex smiled and tilted her head. "So who is she?"

Robert bit his lip and pulled out his wallet. He flipped it open to a photo of a beautiful redhead. "Her name is Sandra Harris. We met while I was on holiday in London. She's an elementary school teacher with the patience of Job so I'm fairly certain she'll be able to put up with me."

Alex chuckled. "Well she seems quite lovely. Congratulations Robert."

He cleared his throat. "I hear that you've been quite the social butterfly as of late."

Alex narrowed her eyes. "And by that, you mean you've heard the gossip among the stuck-up Manhattan elitist who have nothing better to do than spend daddy's money at the country club all day."

Robert laughed softly. "You were never one to beat around the bush were you, darling? I always did adore that about you."

"Why bother? They always say what they want anyway. For some reason, my life is _so_ interesting to them."

He laughed. "Well you did come back from the dead. Not many people can say that."

Alex just rolled her eyes. "So what exactly are they saying about me this time?"

"The word is that you've been seen around town with a certain… _dashing _detective." He teased.

Alex had the good grace to blush slightly. He smirked. "And by the look on your face, I'd say the rumors are correct this time."

"Her name is Olivia Benson. She's the lead detective of the 16th precinct."

Robert narrowed his eyes then smirked with recognition. "Would this be the same Detective Benson you wanted to avoid like the plague when we were discussing wedding invitations?"

Alex sighed and nodded sheepishly. "The one and the same."

"I wondered why you would tense up when I mentioned your old colleagues, especially her. It struck me as being odd that you had so many happy photos of you together but were reluctant to invite her to your wedding. I think I understand much better now."

"I'm sorry, Robert. I was such a jerk to you. I knew I was in love with her. I used you to try to forget her." Alex said honestly.

Robert waved her off. "No more than I used you. I knew you weren't ready to get married. Hell, I knew you didn't really want to marry _me_."

Alex looked surprised. "Then why? Why did you go along with it?"

He gave her a sad smile. "Because I had _hope_, Alexandra. I had hope that one day you might look at me the way you looked at some of those old photos. You really have no idea just how easy you are to love, do you?"

Alex paused unsure how she was supposed to respond.

"I would catch you looking at those photos all the time. When I was alone, I'd take a look at them myself. I wanted to see what was so compelling about them. They were just random snap shots of co-workers and friends, but there was one common theme in all of them. In every single photo, there was a strikingly beautiful brunette."

"You never let on that you knew."

"There was no need. What is it they say? A picture is worth a thousand words. Deep down I knew your heart belonged to someone else. I just couldn't bear to be the one to let go." He said softly.

"I know I keep saying it, but I really am _so_ sorry that I hurt you. I was in a bad place in my life and I should have never taken you down that road with me." Alex said with remorse.

"You need to stop beating yourself up for this, Alexandra." He placed his hand over hers. "I'm a big boy. I knew what I was doing. I loved you and I went down that road willingly. Besides, I think we both ended up exactly where we were supposed to be. Don't you?"

Alex slowly nodded. "I do."

Robert smiled warmly. "I'm very happy for you. You were always so _restless_ back then, Alexandra. I think you were searching for something in particular. It looks like you finally found it."

She swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked away the tears threatening to fall. The argument she and Olivia had early that morning flashed in her mind. It was still weighing heavily on her heart.

Shaking the thought away, she reached out and took his hand. "I hope you know that I really _did_ care for you, Robert. It wasn't all an act."

"I know that, darling." He sat back and cleared his throat. "Before I forget…" He reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. "Part of the reason for me dropping by was to give you this."

Alex took the envelope and opened it. She pulled out a couple of documents. "What is this?"

"I decided to sell the place on 5th Avenue we bought together. I know you said you didn't want it and wanted me to keep it, but I never felt right staying there after we split. Now that Sandra and I are getting married, we're going to find our own place together. It sold well above market value. I had my accountants cut you a check for your part. Everything is in there."

Alex nodded and placed the envelope on the table. She let out a long breath. It finally felt like things had been laid to rest with them. It was a relief. "You didn't have to do that, but thank you."

"You're welcome." He cleared his throat and stood. "I should be going now. I'm sure you're very busy putting the bad guys away."

Alex stood. "I really do wish you the best, Robert. You deserve to be happy."

He gave Alex a long meaningful look. "You do as well, Alexandra. Don't forget that."

This time when they embraced, it wasn't awkward at all. It was like embracing an old friend. Alex hugged him tightly and took in the familiar scent of his after shave. For some reason, it made her cry. He held her close and kissed her cheek knowing this would be their goodbye.

The delicate clearing of a throat was heard behind them causing them to finally pull apart. Alex quickly stepped away and wiped her tears.

"Olivia. What are you doing here?"

"Uh…" Olivia pointed her thumb over her shoulder. "Maggie wasn't at the desk."

Olivia couldn't really think of anything else to say. She was standing just inside Alex's office trying to figure out what she was seeing. Alex was standing there in the arms of a man. She looked as if she had been crying which put Olivia on high alert. When she took a closer look, Olivia realized that the man in question looked very familiar.

Alex took a step closer to Olivia. "Olivia, this is Robert Young. Robert, this is my girlfriend, Detective Olivia Benson."

Robert held his hand out. "Of course. I've heard quite a bit about you. It's a pleasure to meet you, Detective."

"You too." Olivia managed as she gave him a limp handshake.

Robert felt the chill in the air and shifted uncomfortably. "Well… Alexandra, it was a pleasure. Take care of yourself."

"You too, Robert."

Olivia and Alex both stood in complete silence after Robert had left. Alex went over and leaned back against her desk and watched Olivia in silence.

"Why was he here?" Olivia turned and finally asked.

Alex shrugged her shoulders already feeling emotionally drained. "He needed to settle a few things with me. Does it really matter?"

Olivia's eyes flashed. She was about to lash out in jealousy, but something stopped her. She took a deep breath and remembered the words Avery had spoken earlier.

_'Nothing… not this job, another person, money… a disagreement...nothing else would matter.' _

"Actually… no. It _doesn't _matter. I didn't come by to talk about him."

Alex sighed with exhaustion. "If you came looking for another fight, I'm not up for it. I just can't do it today."

Olivia sighed and moved closer. She stopped just in front of Alex and took her hand. "I'm sorry."

"Okay. I'm sorry too." Alex said about to move away.

Olivia instantly grabbed her hand and held her in place. "No. It's not okay. You don't get to brush this off or apologize for something that was not your fault. You were just trying to take care of me and I was an ass to you because of it. That's on me, not you."

"Liv... I just…" Alex paused as a new batch of tears filled her eyes. "I don't want anything to happen to this baby because I know if that happened, it would kill you and you would never forgive yourself."

"It would kill you too." Olivia amended.

Alex swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. "Yes, it would. No matter how hard I've tried to keep my distance and be objective, I already love this child as much as I love you and I can't help it if I worry. But you have to know that I _do_ see you, Olivia. This baby isn't _all_ I see. I still see _you_."

Olivia nodded. "I know that. It's just been hard adjusting to all these… changes. I don't feel like myself anymore, not to mention my hormones are all over the place."

"Anything I can do to help?"

"No, you do enough already."

"Liv, we can't continue to live in a bubble. This baby is coming and our lives are going to change. _We_ have to change. It's time that we sat down and talked about that."

"You're right. I know that." Olivia bit her lip for a moment. "I talked to Cragen today. I'm officially on desk duty now."

Alex blinked. She hadn't expected that. "Really?"

"Yeah. You're right. I have to put this baby first and I have to make some changes. That starts with the job."

"So desk duty huh?"

"Yeah. Cap said that I could still interview the kids and some suspects as long as they're restrained, but I will no longer be out in the field. They'll only call me in at night for absolute emergencies. You're looking at a 9 to 5 cop now." She said studying the floor.

Alex smiled sadly. She held Olivia face in her hands pulling her head up. "Are you going to hate me for this?"

"No." Olivia quickly shook her head. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Because you look so sad right now. I feel like I'm taking something from you." Alex said softly.

"No. I'm sad because I'm mad at myself."

"Why?"

"I saw Avery Livingston today while I was at the hospital. We had lunch together."

Alex raised a brow. "Should I be worried… that you're having lunch with really hot doctors now?"

"Should I be worried that your ex-fiancé is dropping by for visits?"

"Touché, Detective."

Olivia snorted. "And how would you _even_ know Avery Livingston was hot? You've never even met her."

Alex shrugged. "Nick said she was hot."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Of course he did. He's such a horn dog. Anyway, you have nothing to worry about. You know I only have eyes for you, end of story."

"Well that's good to know."

"I told her all about you… us…" Olivia glanced down and touched her stomach. "… and this little one. She made me realize how stupid I had been. Listening to her talk about how much she misses her late partner made me remember what it felt like to be without you all those years."

"Oh, Liv..."

"I don't _ever_ want to feel that way again, Alex. It hurt too much being without you. I couldn't bear to lose you now."

The tears gathered in Olivia's eyes, finally falling over her cheeks. Alex reached out and gently wiped them away with her thumbs. "Oh baby. I'm right here. I'm home and I'm never leaving again."

"I promised myself that if I ever got you back…if I ever got the chance to be with you, I'd never do anything to ruin it. And last night I… I just walked out. I walked out and I didn't even tell you that I loved you. I was pissed and I walked out. In my line of work, I can't do that. I can't just…"

Alex's heart ached at how worked up Olivia had become. She pulled Olivia into her arms and held her tight.

"Hey, stop beating yourself up over this. It was a stupid, silly fight brought on by a lack of sleep and just being plain irritable. I _know_ you love me. I don't always need to hear the words to know that."

"But I know I hurt you. I hurt you and I never wanted to do that, Alex."

Alex nodded. "I won't lie and say that it didn't hurt to hear you say some of those things, but I think we needed to have that argument. We have to learn to talk to each other about the things that really matter."

"I was an ass. I'm sorry, Alex."

Alex let out a soft laugh. Olivia looked downright pitiful. She leaned in and kissed Olivia gently. "I'm sorry I was smothering you."

"You weren't smothering me. I just don't know how to do this. For a long time, my life was the job because that was all I had. Now, I have you and Sprout is coming and it's all just…just…"

"It's a little overwhelming?"

Olivia nodded.

"Want to hear a secret? I'm a little overwhelmed too."

Olivia raised a brow. "Really?"

Alex nodded. "Oh yeah."

"Well, you're doing a hell of a job hiding it. You've been so solid since the very beginning. I think I might have lost my mind if it weren't for you."

"Oh, I've had my moments; I just freak out when I'm alone." Alex said causing them both to laugh.

"I just keep thinking that... I'm finally getting everything that I've ever wanted and I keep wondering when the other shoe is going to drop."

Alex smiled at her. "You and I have a right to be happy. We've earned it. There is no such thing as a falling shoe, Olivia."

"However, there is such a thing as _'contempt of court'_, which is what you will be charged with if you don't get moving, Alexandra." Maggie said through the door.

Both women laughed and rested their foreheads together.

Alex looked up at the ceiling and shook her head in exasperation. "_Now_ she decides to be at her desk."

"I heard that, Alexandra." Maggie voice filtered in.

Alex groaned and Olivia laughed. You just had to love Maggie Malone.

"You'd better go. I would hate for you to get thrown in the tombs for contempt. You can't have conjugal visits down there." Olivia said with a chuckle.

Alex kissed her forehead before moving around her desk. She glanced at her watch. She only had a half hour to get to her arraignment. She was about to turn around and apologize to Olivia when she saw the older woman holding out her briefcase and suit jacket.

"Good luck, Counselor."

"Thank you. I'll call you as soon as I'm finished. We'll sit down and have that talk, I promise." Alex said slipping her jacket on and took her briefcase. She gave Olivia a concerned look. "Are you sure you're okay? I can call and try to…"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Would you stop worrying and go?"

Alex smiled shyly. "I'm doing that smothering thing again, aren't I?"

"No… well… maybe just a little." Olivia laughed. "I like that you care so much, but I'm fine. You just go kick ass in court for me."

"That, I can do."

One last kiss and Alex was on her way. She caught the car keys Maggie tossed into the air with ease as she passed as if she'd done it a thousand times. Olivia shook her head at the dynamic duo.

"Hey, Counselor?"

Alex turned expectantly just as she stepped into the elevator. "Yes?"

"I love you."

A blinding smile transformed the blonde's face. "I love you too, Detective."

Olivia watched her until she disappeared behind the elevator doors. When she turned around, she found Maggie Malone giving her a seriously stern look. She swallowed hard.

"How ya doing, Maggie?"

"You made my Alexandra cry, Detective."

"I know and I can't tell you how sorry I am about that." Olivia said earnestly.

"But you also made her smile." Maggie gave Olivia one of her rare winks.

"Does that mean I'm not in trouble?"

"For the time being, but I'll be watching you."

Olivia shook her head and smothered a laugh. "Yes ma'am."

TBC...

* * *

Coming Soon: Brian's Back


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Thank you for all the favorites and reviews! It still amazes me that anyone likes what I write. I hope you continue to hang in there with this story. Happy reading!

* * *

Chapter 25: Right Isn't Always Easy

Several weeks had passed since Olivia had been placed on desk duty. Although it was a difficult adjustment at first, she had actually grown used to it. Now that she wasn't exhausted all the time, she could actually enjoy being pregnant.

Without the constant interruptions, Olivia and Alex had finally gotten around to having that serious talk they had been putting off. As it turned out, the talk wasn't as painful as Olivia had thought it would be. Now that everything was out in the open, it actually made her feel more secure than ever. Although Olivia had tried to hide it, she had been plagued with uncertainty about Alex's commitment to building a family together. After talking things through, she now had no doubts about Alex having a change of heart. The blonde was jumping in with both feet and Olivia felt extremely blessed to have her. If the baby's father showed the same amount of commitment, her life might actually be perfect.

Olivia sat out on the terrace and sipped her tea as she enjoyed the pleasant weather. She loved to watch the changing seasons. The leaves were a blanket of beautiful autumn colors. It dawned on her that she was usually too busy to ever to notice these things, but today had been a good day for Olivia. It was her day off. She'd had another checkup earlier that morning, but this checkup was special. She had found out the baby's sex today. Unfortunately, Alex was giving her closing arguments for the murder trial she had been slaving over the last few weeks. Olivia had offered to put the appointment off until later so Alex could attend, but the attorney wouldn't hear of it. She didn't want Olivia to miss an appointment for any reason.

Olivia could tell Alex felt torn. The blonde had never had to choose between work and her personal life before. Alex had hoped they would find out together, but that wasn't going to happen, so they settled on a compromise. Not wanting Olivia to be alone, Alex made Olivia take Maggie with her for support. Compromise or not, it still took a lot of persuasion and coaxing just to get the attorney out the door. Olivia shook her head and smiled as she thought about her love. Alex might not know it yet, but she was going to make a wonderful parent.

The sound of the phone brought her out of her musings. She could tell that it was the doorman from downstairs.

"Hi James."

"Good afternoon, Ms. Benson."

Olivia rolled her eyes. She still hadn't been able to convince the man to call her by her first name.

"You have a visitor. There is a Mr. Brian Cassidy here to see you. Should I send him up?"

Olivia paused. She hadn't spoken with Brian in a couple of months at least. She had been leaving messages for him, but he'd never return her calls. Last she had heard, he was working undercover again.

"Umm… sure. You can send him up now."

Olivia took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. She didn't want to jump to conclusions about why Brian was there to see her after all this time. She heard a soft knock at the door. She opened the door to find a haggard and tired looking Brian Cassidy staring back at her. She stepped aside allowing him to enter.

"Brian, this is a surprise."

He looked at her. "This sort of feels like déjà vu doesn't it?"

She smirked. "At least this time you know why you're here."

"True."

There was an awkward silence between them until Olivia decided to break it. "I've been calling you for weeks, Brian."

He paused and looked at her stomach. She followed his gaze and placed her hand protectively on her growing belly.

"You're… You're really pregnant now."

She gave him an odd look. "Yes, I am. You would know that if… Oh, I don't know…picked up the phone or dropped by to check in."

"Yeah about that…" He said scratching the back of his neck.

She walked over and took a seat on the sofa. Her feet had started swelling lately and her back had started giving her fits. She gestured for him to take a seat.

"I told you that I wasn't asking you to do anything, Brian. I told you that I could do this on my own if that was the case, but I would have liked, at the very least, a little courtesy. If you don't plan to be around for this, just say it." Olivia said feeling annoyed by his recent behavior.

"I know. I'm sorry about that. I was working on this case with….

"With the Feds." She nodded. "I've heard this already."

"I know it's not much, but it's the truth. I haven't been ignoring you, Liv. I really was working." He pleaded.

"Fine. I get it. You've been busy." Olivia nodded. "So, why are you here today? Is this your way of saying you want in or…"

"Olivia, I'm just curious. How did you see this thing working out with all of us?"

Olivia didn't know where he was going with this. "I had hoped that we could all be adults about this and raise this child together."

"And by we… you mean you, me, and Cabot?" It wasn't really a question.

Olivia instantly bristled at the mention of Alex. "Yes. I already told you that Alex and I are together and we're _staying_ together. Besides, we never once tried to cut you out, Brian. You're the one who hasn't been here."

"I know that… believe me." He said with a hint of sadness. "Listen, I just had to ask before I talked to you about this."

"Talked to me? Brian, stop talking in circles and tell me what the hell you're talking about."

"There have been some changes in my life lately that I feel you should be made aware of. I've been taking my time trying to figure things out before I spoke to you. I needed to be sure."

"Be sure about what?"

"The Feds offered me a permanent position. They want me to become a full-time agent with the bureau… in the undercover division." He said slowly.

Olivia sat in silence for a moment then nodded slowly knowing exactly what that meant. She had completed a stint with the FBI a while back. She was gone for nearly a year and that had just been a temporary position involving one case. Who knew how long Brian would be gone if he was working full-time with them.

"So, you'd be working undercover with the FBI… officially." Olivia stated to be sure.

Brian nodded.

Olivia stared at him. She narrowed her eyes. "You've already accepted it…haven't you?"

He didn't answer right away and she had her answer.

"You're unbelievable… you know that?" Olivia shook her head and moved to stand.

Brian reached out and held her in place. "I've had one dream my whole life, Liv. I wanted to work for the bureau. I finally have a shot at it."

"So, you're taking the job?"

He nodded.

"Well congratulations, Brian. I don't know what else you expect me to say."

"There are some things we need to settle… about the baby."

"Brian..."

"Just hear me out, Liv. I've done a lot of soul-searching these past few months. There are some people who are cut out to be good parents. They have this incredible ability… that _something_ inside that allows them to love unconditionally and raise a good kid. They give up everything for their kid. I don't think I have that, Liv."

"No one knows how to be a parent until they are, Brian."

"Maybe, but let's be honest. I'm the cool uncle. I'm not the reliable dad."

Olivia blinked. "So that's it? That's all you have to say? You're not the reliable dad."

"I'm just trying to be honest with you."

"This is you being honest?"

"Yeah. Look, I could have come here and fed you a load of lies. I could tell you that I will try to be there for the birthdays and holidays, but you know how undercover work is. I could be gone six months or six years. You never know."

"I can't believe this is happening." Olivia shook her head.

"You're going to make a wonderful mother, Liv. We both know that. I couldn't ask for a better mother for my kid."

After a long silence, he handed her a large brown envelope. "I have a few things here that I think you'll need."

He started taking out an assortment of forms and official papers. "I meant what I said about not being a dead beat. I've set up an account. It has a sizeable amount in there now and money will be added every six months. There should be more than enough to help you support the baby."

"I don't need your money, Brian."

"It's not about you needing the money. This is about me taking care of my responsibilities." He said not giving her a chance to respond. "Whenever I'm out in the field and can't be reached, the payments will continue. I have a contact person for you should you need to get word to me about anything. The information is all there. These are all of my medical records as well as my family history. Everything you'd need to know about me is in there too."

By this time, Olivia had started to cry. The impact of what Brian was doing had finally hit her. Her child's father was not going to be there for the day to day things. He was not going to be in her child's life like a regular father. Olivia knew better than anyone how that absence could affect a child. She had wanted better for her own child.

"There is one more thing. We need to talk about Cabot."

Olivia shook her head suddenly growing angry. "You come here and tell me that you're going to be gone for God knows how long and you think you get to dictate to me about Alex's role in this child's life!"

"No. No. That's not what I meant, Liv." He quickly grabbed her hand and made her look at him. "Look, I know how you feel about Cabot and I think I have a good idea how she feels about you."

He waited to be sure he had her full attention. "It would take a lot out of me as a man to stand by the woman I loved while she had another man's child. Now, I know the circumstances are a little different, but I know it still couldn't have been easy for Cabot, but she's stood by you. She's been here and I have to accept that she will be in my kid's life too."

He handed her several notarized legal papers. Her hands shook as she read them silently.

"You say you and Cabot are the real deal. That may turn out to be true or maybe it won't. But I trust you to make sure that _whoever_ is in your life will be good to my kid too. I want my kid to have a good life. So…" He sniffed and discretely wiped his eyes. "So… there it is."

"Brian, I really don't know what to say." Olivia was floored.

"If you were a lesser woman, I wouldn't trust you with this but I know you, Liv. You will always put our kid first. It's just who you are. Just promise me that you'll make sure that he or she…"

"It's a boy." She whispered.

Brian looked shocked. She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. There was a part of her that hoped the news would change his mind.

"I found out today that it's a boy."

"A boy, huh?" His voice cracked a little.

"Yeah."

"That's pretty awesome." He collected himself and continued. "Just promise me that you'll make sure that my son knows who I am and that you'll let me see him. I don't plan to just walk away, Liv. When I'm here and when I can, I want to be in his life. I'm not going to be in the Bureau forever. I _want_ to be his father. I need you to…" He paused and looked her in the eyes. "Just promise me you won't keep him from me. You have to promise me that."

Olivia gave him a watery smile and nodded. "I promise. You have my word, Brian."

"Good then. That's all I ask." He laughed a little. "Well, maybe one more thing?"

"Anything."

"Maybe you could send me pictures too. You know so I can…"

"Absolutely. I'll get them to your contact. You'll know all about him and he'll know all about you. I want you in his life as much as possible."

He nodded and stared at the floor for a moment. "I hope you know that this isn't easy for me. This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but he deserves a real family. I'm trying to do what's best for him."

"I know that, Brian. I do."

Unable to stop himself, he pulled her into a tight embrace. They held each other for a long time before Brian pulled away. He kissed her forehead and quickly left. Olivia sat alone trying to make peace with what had just happened.

* * *

Your Honor?" Alex tapped on the large wooden door and meekly peaked around the corner. She wasn't at all excited about this visit. She was just about to leave the courthouse after hearing the jury return a guilty verdict. She wanted nothing more than to go home and find out how Olivia's doctor's appointment had gone. That was all before she was summoned to chambers by none other than the presiding judge herself.

"Come on in, Alexandra."

The Honorable Judge Elizabeth Donnelly was in the process of removing her dark robe and hanging it up. She then took a seat behind her desk. "You're late." She snapped.

Alex had to force herself not to roll her eyes as she closed the door.

"How could I possibly be late for a meeting I wasn't even aware that we had?" She said evenly.

Liz narrowed her eyes at the younger blonde and pointed to one of the empty chairs in front of her desk. "Sit."

Alex bit back the sarcastic remark that was on the tip of her tongue. It wouldn't bode well for her to piss off a judge before the weekend. She didn't want to spend the weekend in jail and this judge was just evil enough to make it happen.

"What can I do for you, Your Honor?"

Liz's eyes flashed. "Cut the _Your Honor_ crap, Alex. We're not in court. Excellent closing by the way."

Alex smirked and relaxed a little. "Thank you. Now, what can I do for you, Liz?" She restated.

Liz couldn't help it. She did love an arrogant Alexandra Cabot. It was like looking at a younger version of herself.

"You can start explaining why my god-daughter is apparently having a child with a certain sex crimes detective and did not bother to inform me. Care to explain dear?"

Alex swallowed hard and slumped in the chair. "Oops?"

"Oops, my ass! Who are you, Brittany 'Fucking' Spears?"

Alex couldn't help it. She laughed. Liz could be funny as hell when she wanted to be. She quickly smothered her grin as soon as she saw the look on her godmother's face. _'Oh shit.'_

"I'm sorry Aunt Liz." Alex thought maybe the woman would cut her some slack if she threw in her beloved title. She rarely called her godmother Aunt Liz anymore.

"Don't _Aunt Liz_ me. You haven't seen sorry yet."

Alex sulked like a sad child. "How'd you find out?"

"Was it some kind of secret? Because if it was, it was a terrible one."

"No. You've been off campaigning for months and I was going to wait to tell you myself when you returned."

"I've been back in New York for two weeks, Alexandra."

"I've been busy." Alex said sheepishly shrugged her shoulders.

Liz rolled her eyes. "I had dinner with your Aunt Julia last night. You can imagine my surprise when she started going on about planning a baby shower for you… my darling god-daughter. I nearly choked thinking I'd missed the signs of _your_ pregnancy." Liz said sarcastically.

This time Alex did roll her eyes. "Alright Liz, I get it. I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner. I really didn't mean for you to find out that way."

Liz leaned back in her chair and raised a brow. "Well?" She waved her hand. "Explain. The last time I checked you couldn't get Olivia pregnant all by yourself. You're good at many things, Alexandra but there are some things that cannot be done by shear will alone."

"You already knew that Olivia and I had started seeing one another."

"Yes. I am quite aware of that. I had to sit through that Sunday brunch with you two making eyes at each other like teenagers. How did you two go from dating to having a baby and living with each other?"

Alex bit her lip and shrugged. "It just happened that way."

"Alex, I'm losing patience with you, dear."

"Olivia had been involved with Brian Cassidy several weeks before I came back from Africa. It was a short relationship, but it resulted in Olivia getting pregnant."

"You mean it was a fling." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes. We found out while she was being treated for injuries at the hospital."

"We?"

"Olivia wasn't aware. I was with her when she was informed."

"I'm sure that was a fun afternoon." Liz pursed her lips and stared at her god-daughter. "And you're happy about this?"  
"Come on, Liz! What do you expect me to say? Am I happy that Olivia is having a child because of someone else? No! But…"

"But what?"

Alex stood and started to pace. She finally stopped and rested the palms of her hands on the desk. She starred the judge in the eyes.

"That child is a part of Olivia and I will love him or her just as much as I would my own. Hell, I already do! Anyone who doesn't like that can just go to hell!"

Liz Donnelly looked at her spitfire of a god-daughter and grinned. She had grown into every bit of the woman her best friend Alexander and his wife Helena would have wanted her to be. Alex was finally passionate about something other than the law and politics. She was ready to be a mother.

"Why are you smiling at me?" Alex asked feeling annoyed.

"I smiling because you've finally grown up and apparently you're about to become a mother."

"What?"

"You just stood in front of me and said to hell with anyone who couldn't accept that you love Olivia and that child. If that isn't a mother, I don't know what one is."

"Well, I do love her… them."

"Okay then."  
Alex raised a brow. "That's it? Okay?"

"Yes. I just needed to make sure you were willing and ready to defend what you have."

Alex gave her a steel gaze. "You think I'll have to?"

Liz tilted her head. "If your career continues on the path it's on and you venture into an elected position, you must know that people will have opinions about this little 'unconventional' family your building."

"I'm not sure that's in my future, Liz. You know this." Alex said tiredly. She'd had this conversation with her godmother numerous times. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to ever go into politics. Her life had changed so much since those early years.

"Maybe. Maybe not. You just need to be ready should the time come."

"Olivia and that baby are the only things that matter to me now." Alex said with meaning.

Liz nodded. "Well alright. Tell Olivia that I expect her to be at brunch this Sunday so that I can hear all about what I've missed."

Alex stood and smiled. "You just want to give her the third degree…again."

"That too." Liz came around the desk and gave Alex a hug. "If you weren't my favorite god-daughter, I'd kick your little ass for getting yourself into this mess."

Alex laughed. "I'm your only god-daughter, Liz."

Liz laughed and pushed her towards the door. "Get the hell out of my office, you little shit."

"Just like old times. Glad to have you back, Aunty Liz. I missed you."

Liz shook her head and laughed. _"I love that kid."_

* * *

"Honey, I'm home!" Alex said walking through the door. She laughed when she saw Olivia walking towards her. "I always wanted to say that."

Olivia walked right into her arms and kissed her. Alex instantly knew something was wrong. She held her close and felt Olivia shaking. She could also see a hint of redness around the detective's eyes.

"What's the matter?"

Olivia shook her head. "Not right now. I'm fine. Can we just… sit and talk for a minute?"

"Of course." Alex said watching her with concern. She wanted to know what was going on with the other woman, but had learned not to push. Olivia would talk to her when she was ready.

"I got your text. Congratulations on the verdict. I told you not to worry." Olivia said trying to sound cheerful.

"Thank you. I'm just glad it's over." She sat down on the sofa with a tired groan.

Olivia sat down and pulled Alex's feet into her lap. She slipped the dark blue Jimmy Choo heels off and placed them on the floor. She started to gently rub the slender feet.

Alex moaned and tried to sit up. "You don't have to do that. I should be rubbing your feet. Are they still swollen?"

Olivia pushed Alex back on the sofa and continued her foot massage. "I am fine. I've been lying on the sofa watching bad television all day. Let me take care of you for a change."

Alex didn't like it, but she relented and lay back and closed her eyes.

"I have something to tell you." Olivia finally said after several minutes of silence.

"You can tell me anything. You know that."

"I know. I just don't want you to freak out."

Alex's eyes shot open. "Are you okay? Is it the baby?"

Olivia placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down. "You know I would have called you if something was wrong. I'm perfectly fine. It's about Brian."

"Okay. What about him?"

"Brian showed up here today."

"Cassidy was here?" Olivia nodded and Alex's heart started beating faster. She tried to hide her nervousness. "Well what did he say? Is he going to be around for you more?"

"Actually, he's taking a position with the FBI. He'll be working undercover."

Alex paused and allowed the information to sink in. "But that means…"

Olivia swallowed hard and nodded. With a soft and even voice, Olivia explained what Brian had said and given her. Alex sat up and pulled Olivia into her arms. She just wanted Olivia to know that she wasn't alone.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you wanted. Is there anything I can do?"

"You can keep holding me."

"I can do that."

Alex held her tightly as Olivia quietly admitted that she was saddened that her child wouldn't have a father in the normal sense of the word. Olivia knew all too well what it felt like to grow up without a father. She feared that there would always be a void she could never fill. Alex listened and allowed Olivia to express her fears and concerns. It frustrated Alex to no end because there really was no one's ass to kick or strings to pull. The only thing she could do was make sure Olivia knew that she still had her.

"It will be okay, Liv. I promise."

"I know." Olivia gave her a watery smile suddenly feeling better.

After a long silence, Alex suddenly remembered. "Hey, how did your appointment go? I was thinking about it all day."

"Dr. Powell said that everything looks great. Sprout is growing right on schedule."

"And you found out the sex today?" Alex asked anxiously.

Olivia laughed at the blonde's obvious excitement. "Yep. It was just me and Dr. Powell. Maggie stepped out of the room. She said that you should find out the sex of the baby before she should."

Alex smiled. She adored that old woman. "That's why she kept saying she didn't know when I asked. I thought she was just keeping it a secret for you."

"Nope. I had Dr. Powell make a CD so we can watch it together when you're ready."

Alex's face lit up like Christmas tree. "Really? Let's watch it now. I've been going crazy all day."

Olivia's spirit lifted watching Alex's excitement. She realized that although Brian wouldn't be there, this child would still have Alex. There would be another person, a parent, in her child's life that would love and adore them. That was enough to make her smile.

She went over to the entertainment center and loaded the CD. Once everything was set, Olivia sat down next to Alex and pressed play.

Olivia watched the look of concentration on Alex's face transform as she watched the image on the flat screen. It was like watching the exact moment a person fell in love for the first time. The blonde's smile widened when she heard the familiar sound of the rapid heartbeat. Olivia saw her giggle as she saw the baby moving around. She turned and made sure all of her attention was on Alex's face when the moment happened. She didn't want to miss it.

A second or two passed, and then Olivia saw it. She saw Alex swallow then she seemed to melt from the inside out. When Olivia explained to Dr. Powell why Alex had to miss the appointment and that they were going to watch this together, the doctor was kind enough to have a technician add a small special effect to the image.

Alex's breath caught when she saw the words appear on the screen. It simply said… "It's a boy."

Olivia squeezed the hand in her own. "Yes. We're having a baby boy."

In that moment, Alex didn't think life could get any better. "Yes, we are."

TBC...

* * *

Comming Soon: Happy Birthday!


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Here's the next chapter. It's a little long, but there was a lot that needed to be covered. As always, express your opinions and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.

* * *

Chapter 26: Sunday Brunches and Birthdays

Sunday brunch at the Country Club was usually a simple affair for Alex and her family. It had become sort of a family tradition since she had returned from Witsec. Julia Harriman started dragging Alex out to have an early lunch with her in order to get her suddenly secluded niece out of hiding. A few Sunday afternoons later, Bill had joined in followed by Elizabeth Donnelly and her husband Sean. Serena and Abbie had popped in a few times. As the weeks passed, others would join here and there. Judge Lena Petrovsky even made an appearance once.

Sunday brunch was usually a rather ordinary experience as well. Some would even go as far as to call it mundane; that was before Elizabeth Donnelly and Olivia Benson started attending. As directed, Alex had brought… more like dragged… Olivia to Sunday brunch at Liz's request. They both already knew why Olivia's presence had been specifically requested. Elizabeth was going to give Olivia the third degree once again and Olivia was going to push all of Elizabeth's buttons as usual. It was their thing.

"Olivia!" Julia spotted Olivia walking out on to the terrace. She saw Alex a few steps behind.

Olivia smiled and made her way to their table. "Hi Julia."

"Hello darling. You look wonderful, dear." Julia said kissing her cheek. "Pregnancy is most certainly agreeing with you."

"Oh yes, you're practically glowing, Detective." Elizabeth said with a mischievous smirk.

Olivia had to make an attempt not to roll her eyes. She flashed a grateful grin to Julia then a more devious smile at the judge seated across from her. "Why thank you, ladies. You're looking as beautiful as always, _Julia_. If I didn't love Alex so much, Bill might have a fight on his hands."

Alex smothered a smile as she watched her rather prim and proper aunt blush at her girlfriend's overt flirting. She also smirked at Olivia's obvious exclusion of Liz in the statement. She could see her god-mother's eyes narrow at the impish detective. _'These two will be the death of me.' _Alex thought to herself.

"Alex told me you were back in town, Liz. It is always such… a _pleasure_ to see you." Olivia said in an overly sweet tone. It was obviously fake.

Liz raised a brow. "Oh I bet it is."

Alex pulled out Olivia's chair and helped her get settled. "Alright you two, we're all going to play nice today."

Olivia and Liz looked at one another across the table and smirked. "Yes dear." They both said in unison.

Julia looked at Alex and tried not to laugh. Her niece definitely had her hands full with these two.

Food was served and the conversation flowed effortlessly among the four women. Olivia and Liz seemed to have laid down their gauntlets and were enjoying each other's company. It wasn't until the conversation shifted towards politics did things become a little uncomfortable.

"So have you given much thought to being a politician's wife, Detective?" Liz asked out of the blue.

Olivia nearly spit out the water she was drinking. "Um… excuse me?"

Alex glared at Liz. Liz completely ignored her. "A politician's wife. Have you given any thought to what that will be like for you?"

Olivia looked blindsided. "Uh…"

"You mean you two haven't talked about this?"

Olivia glanced at Alex before turning her gaze back to the judge. "What are you talking about?"

"Surely you know there is a possibility that Alexandra will be the new District Attorney one day… that is if she decides not to run for Governor."

Alex placed a gentle hand over Olivia's as she addressed at her god-mother. "Liz, I already told you that I'm not sure any of that is in my future anymore."

"Are you going to honestly sit there and say that all those aspirations and goals you had when you came to New York have suddenly disappeared?"

Alex sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Olivia blinked and looked back and forth between all three blondes. Julia was unusually quiet while Liz and Alex seemed to be having their own silent conversation. She finally turned and looked Alex in the eye. "Are you still thinking about running for public office?"

Alex gave Liz one more glare before meeting Olivia's gaze. "Honestly, I haven't even thought about it. It's been a long time since I've seriously considered any of that."

"But… it's a possibility? You could be the DA if you wanted."

"It's not that simple. It's an elected position."

"Everyone at Hogan Place loves you, not to mention you're practically a legend in the New York legal system. That seat is yours if you want it." Olivia countered.

Alex nodded slowly. "_If_… is the operative word. I'm sure quite a few people have an opinion about what _I should_ do, but I'm not sure if that's what _I want_ anymore." She looked down then placed a hand on Olivia's belly. "My priorities have changed."

Olivia gave her a long look before turning her attention back to her food. It was obvious that she was just pushing it around. "Okay."

Alex gave her an odd look before nodding. It wasn't like Olivia to just let something like that drop. This was not a good sign of things to come.

Julia, being the ever perfect hostess, shifted the conversation to lighter topics. They even talked about the shower she wanted to host for the girls. She was excited to find out Olivia was having a boy. Alex could see the wheels turning in her aunt's head. She could see a sea of blues and yellows in her near future.

Olivia stood abruptly from the table. "I'm sorry. If you all will excuse me for a moment; one of the side effects of this little guy is going to the restroom often."

Alex watched as she quickly left the table. She turned and glared at her god-mother. "What the hell were you trying to do?"

"What?"

"Why in the hell did you bring any of that up?"

"Why have you not talked about it with her?" Liz countered.

"Liz, I told you that I wasn't sure about any of that anymore. I don't know if I have what it takes to be a politician, not anymore." Alex said tiredly.

"What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything."

"Are you afraid that you can't take it or are you more afraid that she can't." Liz challenged.

Julia saw her niece become agitated. "Elizabeth, I think that's enough."

"No, it's not Julia. Someone has to be willing to ask Alexandra these questions." Liz countered and turned a serious gaze towards Alex. "What will you do if you give up your political future then realize five or ten years down the line that you've made a mistake and that window is now closed?"

"My choice to be with Olivia and building a family is _not_ nor will it ever be a mistake!"

"I didn't say that. I said you giving up who you are is a mistake."

"I'm not giving up anything. I'm gaining everything I've ever wanted."

"Really? So you don't want any of those things you wanted ten years ago?"

Alex paused with uncertainty and Elizabeth nodded. She looked at Julia. "She has to be sure. If she's not sure and she goes into this thing with Olivia in denial, it will only hurt them both." She turned her gaze back to Alex. "I happen to think the world of Olivia Benson. She is the only person I have _ever_ approved of for you and I truly believe that you two love one another. I just don't want you to wake up in a few years and think you've missed your chance. You two have clawed your way back from years of separation to be together. You owe it to yourselves to be honest. It's not just about what Olivia needs, Alex. _You_ matter too. I think Olivia would tell you the same thing."

Alex sat in silence for a long moment before standing. Julia and Elizabeth watched the younger woman head towards the restroom to find Olivia.

Julia looked at her old friend and sighed. "I really hope you're right about this because if you're not, that girl is going to rain down the fires of hell on you for upsetting Olivia."

Liz smirked. "I would expect nothing less."

* * *

Alex looked in the restrooms for Olivia and came up empty. She finally found Olivia standing out on an empty balcony watching the few golfers playing a round on the greens. She walked up behind the detective and slipped her arms around her. Olivia leaned back into the warm embrace while Alex rested her chin on her shoulder.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself? You should come back and finish your crepes. You barely touched them."

Olivia never turned around. "Maybe I should take up golf or maybe even tennis."

Alex frowned. "Why on earth would you do that? I happen to know that you hate golf. You think it's boring and I've never seen you pick up a racket before."

"I could learn enough to have a decent game."

"Again, I ask why?"

"I've heard that most of the more important deals surrounding political campaigns happen on the golf course. Since I'd be considered to be the 'supportive partner' in the scenario, tennis might be appropriate too."

Alex sighed and placed a kiss along Olivia's neck. "You shouldn't listen to Liz. She just loves to get under your skin."

"She's right though."

Alex groaned. "No. _Please_ don't tell me that you're listening to Liz's nonsense."

"She's right, Alex. You could be the next DA, Governor, even Senator if you wanted. You could be anything you wanted to be."

"I'm very flattered by your overwhelming confidence in me." Alex joked.

"You know what I mean." Olivia turned and faced the blonde. "You have the right name, education, qualifications, you name it. The only thing holding you back would be me."

"Stop it." Alex said adamantly.

"Just answer one question for me. Have you _thought_ about it?"

"No."

"Don't you dare lie to me, Alexandra Cabot." Olivia said in a stern voice. "We promised that we would never lie to each other. So, have you thought about running for public office?"

"Okay, yes but just because I _think _about something doesn't mean I'm going to go out and do it."

Olivia took Alex's hands into her own and pulled her close. "I don't want you giving up anything for me, Alex. If you want to become the next DA or Senator… hell if you want to become President, I want that for you."

Alex rested her forehead against Olivia's. "I want _you_ more than any of that."

"Who said you had to choose?"

Alex pulled back and gave Olivia a confused look. Olivia grinned. "I told you I'd be willing to brush up on my skills. I think I might be pretty good at golf. Who knows? It might even be relaxing."

"You mean…"

"Where you go, I go." Olivia said sincerely. "If I have to play the part of the dutiful partner so that you can reach your goals, I'm there." She let out a softly chuckle and smiled. "Although, Liz will probably tell you that I need charm lessons or something. She'd be right of course. I've never been one to hold my tongue when I had an opinion about something. It's served me well as a cop, but I'm guessing that might be frowned upon at those fancy campaign functions."

Alex was still looking at her in wonder. "You'd do that… for me."

"I love you, Alex. When I met you, you were passionate about the law and ambitious as hell… and I fell _so _hard for you. I love _all_ of you, Alexandra Cabot and I want to give you the world. I want you to have everything you've ever wanted."

Alex couldn't believe it, but she had just fallen even more in love with the woman in front of her. "I love you too. I… I don't know what to say to that."

"You don't have to say anything. You just need to know that I will support you in whatever you choose to do. I don't want you to _ever_ feel like you can't share your hopes and dreams with me. I want you to do what makes you happy and I want to be a part of that happiness."

"I'm still not sure. I wasn't lying about that, Liv. I really don't know if I want that life anymore." She pulled back slightly and rubbed Olivia's belly.

They both jumped as they felt a hard kick. Olivia laughed and placed her hand over Alex's. They both stood there grinning like fools as they felt yet another kick.

"Did you feel that?" Olivia asked in wonder, her eyes misting.

"How could I not? I think we might have a little soccer player on our hands." Alex said as tears filled her eyes. "This is the _one_ thing I am certain about. This is what I want; you and him. Everything else… we'll figure it out as we go along." Alex said pulling Olivia into her arms for a kiss.

It wasn't long before the innocent kiss turned into something more passionate. Olivia bit back a moan as she felt Alex placing love bites along her neck as she whispered sweet love devotions in French. When Alex realized they both spoke the language, it had become their new thing and Olivia found it extremely arousing. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw a few people in the distance watching them with interest.

"Umm… Alex?"

_"Jes lav."_ Alex was still enjoying herself.

Olivia pulled back a little. "Umm… I think we're being watched."

_"Laissez-les regarder."_ Alex said swooping in for another kiss. It nearly took Olivia's breath away. She secretly loved it when Alex couldn't seem to control herself.

Olivia giggled. "We might get thrown out of here for… public indecency or something."

"I know a good lawyer." Alex said still working on her neck.

Olivia laughed out loud. She finally managed to push Alex away a little. "Your Aunt Julia would kill us for the embarrassment."

Alex rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine. I'll behave… for now. But when I get you home…."

"Oh, I can't wait, Counselor. Let's go back to brunch." She said taking Alex by the hand. "I feel the need to annoy the hell out of Liz. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

All Alex could do was laugh.

* * *

Alex walked into the 1-6 and looked around the familiar surroundings. She zeroed in on Olivia's desk and didn't see her there.

"Hey Cabot. What brings you to these parts?" Fin said walking by.

Alex followed him and placed a bag on Olivia's still empty desk. "I was looking for Olivia. She sent me a text saying that she was starving."

Fin frowned and looked at his watch. "Really? We just had lunch like half an hour ago."

Alex snorted. "That doesn't matter. If she's craving something, she has to have it or there will be hell to pay."

Fin nodded. "I remember what that was like. When my ex was pregnant with Ken, she used to have me up at all times of the night getting all kinds of weird stuff. Her favorite was strawberry ice cream and guacamole… together."

Both he and Alex shivered.

"Liv, doesn't really crave anything weird per se. She just has cravings for certain foods at certain times… which means she has to have them at that _very _moment, hence why I am here."

Fin smirked. "She's pretty much the same way here. She has poor Nick running around like a chicken with its head cut off. He's always going out to get something. Rollins is on ginger ale duty. She knows not to walk through those doors without ginger ale and Liv's favorite fruit of the week. It's sort of our routine around here."

Alex chuckled. "Are you insinuating that my girlfriend is spoiled, Detective Tutuola?"

Fin held up his hands and walked away. "I'm not answering that. I'll get the shit kicked out of me either way. I can't win there."

"Win what?"

They both turned and saw Olivia moving towards them. At six and a half months pregnant, Olivia looked radiant but very round.

"Nothing." Fin mumbled.

"Hi sweetie. I brought you the fries you wanted." Alex said accepting the kiss Olivia planted on her cheek as she passed.

"Thank you, Alex. I was starving!"

Fin snorted and Alex shot him a glare. Olivia's hormones were all over the place this month. Her temper could be instantly ignited by the slightest thing and she would cry at the drop of a hat. Alex had dreaded watching television lately just because of the damn commercials.

"Do you have time to stay for a minute? We could go up to the crib." Olivia asked.

Alex glanced at her watch. "Sure."

She grabbed the bag and followed Liv towards the crib. She ignored Fin's soft laughter behind her back.

Alex went to the vending machine and got Olivia a bottle of water then settled on the sofa next to her. She indulgently watched her girlfriend enjoy her chili-cheese fries. Olivia smiled in complete bliss as she took another bite.

"You should try these. These are _so_ good." Olivia said.

"Maybe another time. I'd rather just sit here and watch you."

Olivia wiped her mouth with the napkin and smiled. "You're so sweet."

Alex rolled her eyes.

"You are. You're always dropping whatever you're doing to bring me something stupid… like these fries or you're rubbing my back or reading those pregnancy books so that you know everything about what I'm supposed to be feeling. You're just so… _sweet_." She leaned over and placed a kiss on Alex's cheek. "I wish other people could see this side of you."

"Hey, you're the one with the raging hormones. Stop trying to make me cry." Alex said causing Olivia to laugh.

"They have been a little out of whack lately, haven't they?" Olivia asked sheepishly.

Alex was many things, but stupid was not one of them. She wouldn't dare answer that question truthfully. "Really? I haven't notice." She said innocently which only made Olivia laugh harder.

"You're a smart cookie, Cabot." Olivia said with a grin.

Alex simply leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "Nah, I just love you."

"I love you too which is why I have to get you something awesome for your birthday. There has to be something you want."

Alex rolled her eyes playfully. "I already told you that I don't need anything for my birthday."

Olivia snorted. "I know you don't _need_ anything. You're Alex Cabot for Christ's sake. You have more money than God."

That made Alex laugh. She always enjoyed Olivia's acerbic wit.

"I know you mentioned at brunch last week that you didn't want a party or anything big, but I was hoping that you'd consider a small dinner with your aunt and uncle, Serena, maybe Abbie if she's in town. We could invite Liz and her husband too… if you want?"

Olivia frowned slightly when she mentioned Alex's god-mother. Liz was always giving Olivia a hard time. The best part was Olivia could give just as good as she got. She and Liz would trade barbs back and forth for hours if Alex allowed them. They were quite the entertaining pair because under the teasing and heated debates, you could see just how much they both admired each other.

Alex thought about the suggestion for a moment. She really hadn't wanted to do anything for her birthday this year but if Olivia wanted to do something she'd allow it simply to make the brunette happy.

"That sounds like fun… as long as you and Liz promise to behave."

Olivia put on her innocent face. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Alex chuckled. "Sure you don't."

* * *

Alex and Olivia sat back and wiped their eyes. Alex's stomach muscles were actually hurting from laughing so hard. Following dinner, Liz and her Uncle Bill started reminiscing over the past and telling funny stories about their wild college years. To look at these two distinguished judges, no one would have ever realized how carefree they had been in their younger days. Olivia found them to be thoroughly entertaining.

Over the course of dinner, Olivia had discovered the complicated history behind their bond. Bill Harriman and Alexander Cabot had been roommates while at Harvard. Elizabeth Donnelly, also attending Harvard, met Alexander while in a class they shared and became instant friends. Liz would later introduce Alexander to her best friend who just happened to be Helena Grayson. By the end of their sophomore year, all four of them were the best of friends and thick as thieves. By the time they were seniors, Alexander and Helena had fallen madly in love. Bill would later be the best man at Alexander and Helena's wedding which is where he met and instantly fell for the bride's gorgeous sister who turned out to be none other than Julia Grayson. Those close friendships had produced two of the greatest romances of the twentieth century.

"Helena had Xander so worked up, the man could barely see straight." Liz said laughing. "I had never seen a man so in love before. He had convinced himself that Helena was seeing someone else and he had to get her back."

"We tried to tell him that it was nothing, but he wouldn't hear it." Bill said to Alex. "All he could see was green. He was sure that your mother had some guy up in her dorm room."

"So your father marched into the girls' dorm in the middle of the night during an awful storm screaming at the top of his lungs for Helena to come down and see him. Everyone was laughing because he was soaked to the bone, covered in mud, and without his pants for some reason." Elizabeth laughed. "He was standing at the bottom of the stairs yelling Helena's name as if he were in a bad reproduction of 'A_ Streetcar Named Desire'_."

Bill shook his head at the memory. "To make a long story short, Helena finally came walking through the door _behind_ him carrying her books looking confused as hell while Xander is still yelling and declaring his undying love to an entire dorm of confused women."

"I was standing at the top of the stairs watching it all while your Uncle Bill was trying to keep security from dragging your father out on his ass." Liz added.

"Once everything was explained away, Xander was completely mortified because he realized that Helena hadn't been in her dorm room at all. She'd been at the library studying the entire night."

Alex grinned. "I always wondered why you all would yell 'Stella' at random moments when I was younger."

"We were teasing your father." Liz laughed.

"Every time good old Xander would get too big for his pants; we'd all start chanting, _Stella!_" Bill added with a laugh. "Your mother _loved_ it even though it embarrassed your father to no end."

They all laughed.

Alex had thoroughly enjoyed her birthday dinner. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard. Hearing these stories about her parents made her feel closer to them. There were times when she felt the pressure to live up to the legacy of her parents. She often wore that weight squarely on her shoulders every single time she walked into a courtroom or a function for the Cabot Foundation. Today, however, she was happy to carry that weight. She had heard a few stories about her parents before, but hearing these intensely personal memories from the people who knew them best helped Alex remember that Alexander and Helena Cabot were just two people in love who wanted to make a difference in the world.

"It's something about those Grayson women that you just can't shake." Bill said kissing his wife's hand.

Olivia looked at Alex and smiled. She had to agree with him. Alexandra Grayson Cabot was pretty damn amazing too. "I think you're right, Bill."

An hour or so later, Liz and her husband had called it an evening. Bill and Julia had stayed another half hour before making a graceful exit. Alex and Olivia had wished them goodnight and closed the door behind them. Olivia quickly cleaned the dining room while Alex cleared the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher. They finally joined one another on the sofa.

"So, did you enjoy your birthday?" Olivia asked rubbing the blonde head lying in her lap.

"I really did. It was wonderful." Alex said. "Thank you for doing this."

"You're welcome. I hate that Serena and Abbie couldn't come."

"Yeah, but we know better than anyone that sometimes unexpected things come up. Besides, I think those two are still having some problems. With this being a rare weekend that Abbie is actually in the city, I suspect Serena wanted to spend it talking."

"Well, I'm sure they'll work through it."

"Me to. But I don't want to dwell on that. Tonight was a great night."

"I'm glad you had a good time."

"It used to be really hard for me to talk about my parents." Alex said evenly.

"Was it hard listening to all those stories tonight?" Olivia asked with a hint of worry.

Alex shook her head and smiled. "It was really nice. Sometimes because of the work they did and all they accomplished, I forget that they were just people, you know?"

Olivia nodded. "It seems like your father was a bit of a romantic too."

Alex smiled fondly. "He was. I can remember coming home from college and finding them on the sofa making out like teenagers. Dad would of course give himself away by blushing, but Mother never cared. She told me, on several occasions, that she was rather happy to have an empty nest. That was more than I needed to know about what they got up to while I was away."

They both laughed. Alex sighed wistfully in remembrance. "They both adored each other, but it was obvious that my father was the more romantic of the two. I would catch him just watching her sometimes. It was like he couldn't believe that she had chosen him… even after all those years."

Olivia looked down into the endless blue eyes and returned the smile. "I can definitely relate. I often feel the same way about you."

Alex blushed. "You are such a charmer." She whispered pulling Olivia down for a deep kiss.

Olivia pulled back and held up a finger. "Hold that thought. You still have one more gift to open."

Alex sat up and faced the brunette. "Liv, you've given me enough already. I love my gifts, especially my book. Did you see Liz? She was totally jealous when she saw it."

Olivia had already given Alex several presents. Bill and Liz had unabashedly drooled over the early leather-bound edition of Thomas Paine's _'Common Sense'_ she'd presented to Alex. It had cost her quite a mint, but well worth the look on her love's face. She knew it was one of Alex's favorite books. Olivia had also given Alex several other books the blonde had expressed interest in reading. The other gift had been a new red silk negligée that would be used later. Olivia had allowed Alex to open that particular present that afternoon when they were very much alone.

"Nonsense. You spoil me all the time. Leave me alone and let me give my girlfriend another birthday gift."

"Alright. Let's go ahead and open it because I really want to put that new lingerie to good use tonight." Alex said wiggling her brows.

Olivia got up and went to the bookshelf across the room. She pulled out a brown envelope with a blue ribbon around it. She sat down and handed it to Alex.

"Before you open that, I want to tell you something first." Olivia said seriously.

Alex reached out and took her hand. "You can tell me anything. You know that."

"I know. I just want you to know that whatever you decide to do with this won't change anything between us. I love you more than anything and that won't change."

Alex gave her a confused and worried look. Olivia chuckled. "It's nothing bad. I swear. Just…open it."

Alex took a deep breath and untied the ribbon. She started pulling out what looked to be several notarized legal documents. Her eyes moved over them with practiced ease. She suddenly stopped and felt her breath catch.

"Liv… is this… is this what I think it is?"

Her voice and her hands were shaking making it hard to read the documents. Olivia smiled softly and nodded.

"What does this…" Alex swallowed. Her voice didn't seem to want to coöperate. "… does this mean…"

"I talked to Brian last week and he agreed. I then called your Uncle Bill and told him what I wanted to do. He called Liz and she drew the papers up a few days ago. It was hell making sure those two didn't spill the beans tonight."

Alex took a closer look at the papers. By the end of the first paragraph, she was weeping. There at the top was her name as petitioner to the court. There were sections for the baby's name once the baby was born. The signature of Olivia Jayne Benson was signed and notarized at the bottom. Next to it was an open line for her own signature."

"Obviously, these can't be completed until after Sprout gets here, but I wanted you to have this now. This is your _real_ birthday gift."

"You mean… you want…"

"Alex, I want us to be a real family. I want you to be my son's other mother. I'm asking you to adopt him… if you want."

The tears falling from Alex's eyes came so rapidly that she had to hold the papers away to keep them from getting wet.

"I understand that this is a lot to ask. If you don't want to do this, it's okay." Olivia said misinterpreting the tears.

Alex could only shake her head. No words had yet to come. Alex hadn't told Olivia, but a part of her was still worried about what her role in the baby's life would be. Now Olivia was sitting here offering her the ultimate gift. She was offering her the chance to share her child. Olivia was making them a family.

"It's not too much. This is… This is the best gift anyone could ever give me." Alex said finally finding her voice.

"Are you sure?"

Alex leaned in and kissed her with such passion, Olivia nearly forgot her own name. "I love you and I love your son. Of course, I want to adopt him."

Olivia grinned happily. "_Our_ son." She corrected placing Alex's hand on her stomach.

"Our son."

They both jumped at the intense thump against their hands. They looked down and laughed.

"I think Sprout agrees." Olivia said. "Happy Birthday, Alex."

"This _so_ trumps the red bike I got when I was eight."

They both laughed.

TBC...

* * *

Coming Soon: Thanksgiving


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you like it. Like always, I'd love to hear what you think. Thanks for reading.

* * *

Chapter 27: Thanksgiving

"Olivia, are you sure you feel up to making the drive to Boston next week? We could always just stay here; maybe invite a few of our friends over."

The couple had received an invitation to come to Boston for Thanksgiving at the Cabot family home. Several of Alex's cousins had decided to get together for Thanksgiving instead of Christmas this year since everyone seemed to have conflicting plans. At least that was the excuse they were using. Alex knew the truth. She knew that her cousins had heard all about Olivia from Julia and Bill and were desperate to meet the woman she was having a child with. When Julia had let it slip that Alex would be remaining in the city for Christmas because of Olivia's approaching due date, suddenly Thanksgiving became extremely important to them.

"I think dinner here could be fun. What do you think?" Alex asked hopefully while thinking of her girlfriend's swollen ankles.

At eight months pregnant, Olivia was feeling all the usual pregnancy complaints. She was tired and her feet and hands were always swollen. She felt like she always had to pee and had developed constant backache and occasional leg cramps. With all of that going on, Olivia was an exhausted mess when she came home from work. After witnessing this several weeks in a row, Alex finally put her foot down and told Olivia that it was time to go on maternity leave. Surprisingly Olivia didn't even put up a fight. Obviously everyone at the precinct thought it was a good idea as well. Alex received a huge bouquet of flowers from the Captain and detectives of the 1-6 the very next day. The note simply said _'Thank you!'_

"We can do whatever you want. Dinner here sounds good, but don't you want to see your other family? Didn't you say that your cousins wanted you to come home this year?"

"First of all, I'm already home. Secondly, I can see my annoying cousins anytime. Besides, I don't want you to have to suffer through an uncomfortable car ride. You'd be exhausted."

"Please. I'm fine. Now that I'm at home all day, I have the luxury of putting my feet up and resting as you have commanded me to, Oh great one." Olivia said sarcastically.

"I won't apologize for looking out for you."

Olivia waddled into the kitchen where Alex was preparing dinner and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I wouldn't dare ask you to, babe. Don't mind me. I'm just cranky."

"Anything I can do to help?"

Olivia shook her head and sat down at the table. "No, it's just regular old pregnancy crankiness. I'm sure you'll be glad when this is all over."

Alex stopped and turned off the burner. She tilted her head, giving Olivia her full attention. "What do you mean by that?"

"You don't have to pretend, Alex. I know I've been driving you crazy lately. You go to work and deal with nut cases all day then have to come home to one."

Alex wiped her hands on the dish towel. She went over to Olivia and kneeled in front of her. "Let's get one thing straight right now. You are _not_ a nut case. You are eight months pregnant with our very active son."

She placed her hands on Olivia's belly and smiled when she felt several rapid kicks.

"Do I hate that you have those horrible back aches, leg cramps, and god knows what else? Absolutely. I hate it because it makes you uncomfortable and unhappy. If I could do this for you, I would. And even with all that, I am still in no rush for this to be over. This is the happiest I've ever been in my entire life." She finished placing a kiss on the protruding belly.

Olivia melted and held Alex's head in place. She smiled when she heard the blonde start talking. Running her fingers through the long blonde locks, she listened intently.

"Listen little man, I really need you to cut Mommy a little slack. She's having a rough time as it is with the other body parts so… if you could take it easy on her ribs and back, I'll consider buying you a new sports car on your sixteenth birthday. How does that sound? We have a deal?"

Alex kissed Olivia's stomach before looking up with a smile. "Sprout is going to take the deal."

Olivia didn't speak. She just gave Alex a look. Alex swallowed hard as she shrank back a little. She knew that look. She'd learned all of Olivia's looks over the past few months.

There was the **_'what the fuck'_** look. That look was usually reserved for the guys when they asked her something ridiculous. Alex had gotten it herself once or twice too. The worst was the **_'my feelings are hurt and it's all your fault'_**look. Alex hated that look because that usually meant that crying was sure to follow. The crying would lead to Alex running out for flowers, candy, or some crazy craving to make up for whatever crime she had unknowingly committed. The look she was getting now was the **_'put your briefcase down because I want you right now'_** look. Alex usually got that one as soon as she walked through the door every evening. Alex had to admit that she was rather fond of that particular look.

"Olivia." Alex said with a hint of warning.

Olivia was already standing up and pulling Alex out of the kitchen. "Yes?"

"Olivia, I just made dinner. We can't…"

Olivia stopped and looked at Alex with an enticing grin. "Do you want me to eat dinner or do you want me to eat you? By the look on your face, I'd say the latter."

Alex swallowed hard.

Olivia smirked. "Just say yes dear."

"Yes dear."

* * *

One Week Later: Thanksgiving Day

Alex was checking the turkey and putting the finishing touches on the other dishes when there was a knock at the door. "Hey Liv, can you get that?"

Olivia was slowly making a way down the stairs. "Sure. You need any help in there?"

"No. I'm just waiting on the turkey. You can greet our guest."

"Not that you'd let me anyway." Olivia mumbled.

"I heard that, Detective!"

Olivia laughed as she pulled the door open. Her smile got bigger when she saw the people standing there.

"Well I'll be damned! Serena hasn't been bull-shitting me all this time. Cabot really went and knocked you up!"

"Well if it isn't the ever charming Abigail Carmichael." Olivia grabbed her arm and pulled her inside. "Get in here and give me a hug."

Serena stood to the side and watched Abbie and Olivia embrace. Abbie had been in and out of the country the last few months working on an international case and hadn't had the chance to see her old friends. She was excited that they would all be able to spend Thanksgiving together.

"Alright Abbie, move out of the way. It's my turn." Serena said pushing Abbie away and giving Olivia a hug. She pulled back and touched Olivia's belly. "And how is Sprout doing?"

"Sprout?" Abbie frowned.

"That's what we're calling him until we decide on a name." Alex said walking out to greet them. "Welcome home, Abigail." She smiled and gave Abbie a warm hug.

Olivia sent them towards the living room while she took care of everyone's coats.

"It's good to see you, Abbie. It hasn't been the same around here without you." Alex said.

Abbie smirked. "Never thought I'd see the day when you'd actually admit to missing me, Cabot."

Alex rolled her eyes. "I never said anything about missing you. I said it wasn't the same without you. You could take that statement many ways."

Abbie laughed. "Well I missed you too, Alex even if you won't admit to missing me."

"I hear missing you might not be an issue anymore. You thinking of moving back to the city for good?" Alex asked handing the couple a glass of wine each. She didn't miss the weird look that passed between Serena and Abbie.

Abbie nodded. "Well… I'm still looking at my options. I'm still having fun being a legal cowboy down in DC, but I've been thinking that it might be time to come home."

"You have a job lined up? I'm sure McCoy would _love_ to have you back at the DA's office."

"I'm sure he would." Abbie smirked. "Jack always did like surrounding himself with women."

Alex laughed. "I think that we were the only women in that place that managed to _not _fall into bed with that man… not that he didn't try."

They all groaned and shivered.

When Olivia returned to the living room, she had several other people with her.

"Look who I found hanging out in our hallway."

Fin, Melinda Warner, Fin's son Ken and Ken's fiancé Alejandro all followed her into the room. Hugs and introductions were given all around. Alex played hostess and made sure everyone had wine or the beverage of their choice.

"Hey there hot stuff. I didn't know you'd be here." Fin said walking up to Abbie. He gave her a friendly hug and kiss.

"So I take it you finally took my advice and went after this beautiful one?" Abbie said pointing to Melinda.

Fin shrugged. "I had to do something. I couldn't have her giving up on men and all. There are enough batting for _'your team'_ as it is."

Abbie laughed heartily. "God, I've miss you, Fin."

Alex waited until everyone was deep in conversation before discreetly pulling Serena into the kitchen.

"Alright, spill it. What's going on with you two?"

"What are you talking about?" Serena asked trying to play dumb.

"Don't give me that. As soon as I mentioned moving back to the city, Abbie tensed up and you looked all weird. What is going on?"

Serena sighed. "I already told you that we were having issues. Nothing has really changed. I still want to settle down and start a family and Abbie is still… well Abbie is still being Abbie."

"What exactly does that mean?"

"I don't think Abbie wants to have children with me, Alex." Serena finally admitted. "Abbie always said that if we were to have kids, I would be the one to carry it. I took that to mean that she would be willing when the time was right. The problem is… I don't think Abbie ever thought of us having kids as a real possibility… ever."

Alex was floored. "So… where does that leave you?"

Serena shrugged her shoulders and sighed sadly. "I love Abbie more than I've ever loved anyone. You know that, but… I'm not sure if I love her enough to give up my dream of having a family. I just… need something more. I don't know. I think maybe we've outgrown each other."

Alex looked at her friend sadly. She could see the hurt behind Serena's facade. "I'm so sorry, Serena. I really was hoping you two could work things out."

Serena nodded. "We're still talking. We agreed not to make any major decisions until after the New Year."

"What will you do if she decides not to…"

Serena shook her head and waved Alex off. She wasn't ready to deal with that option yet.

"I have to believe that we will find some common ground. I have to. The alternative is just not something I can contemplate right now."

Alex nodded and squeezed Serena's hand. "Just know that I'm here if you need me, okay?"

Serena smiled softly and pulled Alex into a warm embrace. "Of course I know that. You're my best friend. We've always had each other's backs. That will never change."

The sound of the doorbell rang out through the apartment. Serena smiled and squeezed Alex's hand. "You need to go play hostess."

"You sure you're okay?" Alex asked.

"I'm fine. Now, let's go before Olivia comes looking for us. I really don't want to deal with this today. I just want to have a great Thanksgiving with my best friends and family."

"Okay."

When Alex and Serena rejoined the guest, John and Captain Cragen had arrived. After about an hour of catching up, the guest sat down in the dining room for dinner. Alex took a seat at the head of the table while Olivia took the seat at the other end. Alex winked at her from the far end. Soon grace was said and everyone dug into their meals.

"Okay, where did you cater this food from, Cabot? Really?" Abbie asked Alex for the third time. Everyone laughed.

"For the _last time_, Carmichael, I did not cater the damn food. Why is it so hard to believe that I can cook?" Alex said.

"Because I was in the apartment with you when you set your stove on fire!" Abbie said causing everyone to laugh.

"That was _years_ ago, Abby. Let it go already!"

"Alright you two. Cool it or I'm putting you in time out." Olivia said from the other end of the table.

"I bet Cabot likes _her'_ timeout." Abbie mumbled to Fin earning them both a smack on the back of the head from Serena and Melinda respectively.

Again, the table erupted in a roar of laughter.

"Just for that… Abby you are now on nursery duty next Saturday. I think Olivia and Alex will appreciate the extra manual labor. What do you think Olivia?" Serena asked in a stern voice.

Abby sputtered. "What? Wait…"

Olivia smiled sweetly. "Oh, I think that is a wonderful idea, Serena. We'll be expecting you around seven."

"But Serena…"

"Keep talking and I'll have you here before six am and that will be _after_ you've spent the night on the sofa… alone."

Whatever Abby was about to say died on her lips. She closed her mouth and glared at a smirking Alex.

"My timeout is _sooo_ much better than yours." Alex mumbled.

"Alex." Olivia warned.

"Busted." Abbie said with a grin.

"But she started it." Alex said pointing at Abbie and another argument ensued among the lawyers.

Ken leaned over to John. "Are they always like this? It's like watching a group of kids."

John nodded. "Oh yeah. This is pretty tame actually. Whenever two type A females like Cabot and Carmichael are in the same room there's bound to be fireworks. They love to antagonize one another, but they love each other. It's their thing."

Melinda shook her head at their antics and turned to Olivia. "So how are you feeling Olivia? It's getting pretty close now."

Olivia sighed and rubbed her stomach instinctively. "I'm doing okay. I'm having the typical aches and pains."

"Any Braxton-Hicks yet?"

Olivia chuckled. "Those started this past week and Alex nearly had us packed and in the car before I could explain what was going on."

Melinda smiled and glanced down the table at the blonde who was in another intense legal argument with Abby. "I never thought I'd see you two actually get together."

Olivia nodded. "We took the long way didn't we?"

"It doesn't matter. You got there."

"I see you and Fin are getting closer."

"He's a really good guy once you get beyond the tough guy image. He's really a big softy." She whispered.

"That he is. Alex adores him. He's always trying to teach her rap songs. It's hilarious to watch."

Olivia and Melinda both laughed at the thought of prim and proper Alexandra Cabot grooving to a hip hop song. As they were laughing, Olivia looked up and caught Alex's loving gaze. The blonde smiled then glanced around the table at their eclectic rag-tag group of friends. As if reading her mind, Olivia did the same. These people may not have been their blood relatives, but they were definitely family… their family.

* * *

After all the guest had left and the food had been put away, Alex and Olivia cuddled on the sofa and watched a movie. Olivia was lying back against Alex's chest as the blonde ran her fingers through her hair. Alex thought she had fallen asleep until Olivia suddenly spoke.

"You know, I think this was the first traditional Thanksgiving that I've ever had. I think I'm going to like Thanksgiving from now on."

Alex paused and frowned. "What do you mean? You never celebrated Thanksgiving?"

"Not in the traditional sense. It was always just my mom and me. When I was younger, she was finishing up her Ph.D. so she was working a second job to pay for it. I usually spent the day with the old lady down the hall that would babysit me. Then when I got older…" Olivia swallowed hard thinking about those years. "…she was drinking a lot by then. Holidays were not all that popular in our home."

Alex instinctively held her tighter. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. Was it always so bad?"

Olivia thought for a moment and smiled. "No, it wasn't actually. There were times when Serena Benson was the most wonderful mother I could have ever asked for. That's the person I try to remember. I've been thinking of her a lot lately, especially when I found out I was pregnant. When I first realized I was going to be a mother, I was terrified. I can't even imagine what it must have felt like for her knowing that not only was she about to become a mother, but the mother of a child fathered by her rapist. I often wondered why she made the decision to keep me."

"She loved you, Olivia. You were just as much her child as you were his."

"Yeah. I know she loved me the best way she knew how. She did the best she could under those circumstances and I've made my peace with that. I just want to make sure that this child knows that I love him unconditionally."

"He will know that because you're going to be the best mother in the world. Our son doesn't know it yet, but he won the mommy lottery with you."

Olivia tilted her head back and kissed Alex on the lips. "I never understood the whole being thankful thing on Thanksgiving. I always thought it was just another commercial holiday about eating a big meal and watching football. I think I really got it today though. It really is a day about being thankful for what you have." She sat up and faced Alex. "And I am _so_ thankful that you came back into my life. I'm _thankful_ for you."

Alex smiled warmly. She leaned in and kissed Olivia lovingly and caressed her face. "Are you tired?"

Olivia shook her head. "Not really."

"Good because I could tell you how thankful I am for you and our life together…" Alex said pulling Olivia up and towards the stairs. "…but I'd really rather _show_ you."

* * *

The next morning, Olivia was awakened by the rays of sun creeping through the windows. She stretched and moaned with contentment when she felt how loose and relaxed her usually aching back felt. Remembering how Alex had gently and lovingly caressed every inch of her body before finally making love to her until she fell asleep made her smile. She turned over in bed expecting to see Alex still asleep only to find her side of the bed empty and cold. She frowned. She was about to get out of bed to search for her missing lover when she heard the sound of the door closing downstairs.

A few moments later, Olivia was greeted with a spectacular sight. Alex walked through the door gulping down a bottle of water. The best part was that Alex was wearing a pair of tiny black running shorts with a Harvard zip up hoodie over a matching black sports bra that showed off her rather impressive six-pack. Her hair was pulled back in a pony-tail and she was a sweaty mess. Olivia just stared at her with her mouth open.

"Oh, you're awake. I was hoping to get back from my run before you woke up." Alex said walking towards the bed. She leaned down and placed a quick kiss on Olivia's lips before pulling a lovely single red camellia from behind her back.

"A beautiful flower for my beautiful lady."

Olivia melted as she took the flower. It was the same flower Alex had presented her with when the blonde had picked her up for their first official date.

"It's lovely. Thank you." Olivia said pulling Alex down for another kiss. She tugged a little harder trying to get the blonde into bed, but Alex was resisting.

"You're welcome, baby but I am a sweaty mess and I am in desperate need of a shower."

Olivia allowed her eyes to roam over the beautiful body before her. "I happen to like you all sweaty."

"I'll make you a deal. How about you let me get cleaned up then I can take you out for breakfast."

"You've got yourself a deal, but we might need to make it lunch instead. It may take us a while."

"We?"

"Oh yes. I'm planning to get a little sweaty too." Olivia said strolling into the bathroom.

Alex was left standing by the bed blinking.

"Are you coming, Counselor?"

Alex looked up to see Olivia standing by the shower in all of her naked glory. She grinned. "Not yet…but soon." She mumbled before racing towards the shower.

TBC...

* * *

Coming Soon... Pearson-Hardman & Associates


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: I borrowed Jessica Pearson and Harvey Spector from the show "Suits". The characters belong to Aaron Korsh and the USA Network. I own nothing. Like always, your opinion and ideas are welcome.

* * *

Chapter 28: Timing Is Everything

"I can't believe he is pulling this shit!" Alex said slamming her briefcase down on her desk. "Son of a bitch!"

Olivia jumped slightly in her seat on the sofa. She and Alex had made plans to have lunch together since Alex had been working late all week.

Olivia watched as Maggie followed Alex inside the office and scolded her. "Alexandra, you're going to upset Olivia. Calm down this instant."

Alex immediately looked across the room and her features softened. "Oh, I'm sorry, Olivia. I didn't see you there."

"I'm guessing you forgot about our lunch date?"

"I'm sorry." Alex ran a hand through her hair in obvious frustration. "Just let me grab my things and we can go."

Olivia slowly got to her feet and waddled over to the desk. She could see Alex nearly shaking with anger. The blonde was fuming. It had been a long time since she had seen Alex this furious. Olivia gave Maggie a discrete nod and the older woman turned and left the office.

Once they were alone, Olivia stilled Alex's hands as she reached for her keys and pulled her into a hug. She held her until she felt some of the tension leave Alex's body. She pulled back and gave the blonde a soft smile.

"Forget about lunch for now. Can you at least tell me what has you so upset?"

Alex pulled off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Jack is sending me to a conference."

Olivia frowned. "O…kay. So… I'm guessing that lawyer conferences are even more tedious as cop conferences if you're this upset about it."

"The conference is in Albany and it's for an entire week." Alex practically growled.

Olivia was still a little lost. "But that still doesn't explain why this is this making you so upset. Alex, you've attended dozens of conferences like this before. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that you could have our baby _any_ day now. I can't be away for a _week_!" Alex said throwing her hands up.

Olivia bit her cheek to keep from smiling. She knew that smiling would not go over well with Alex being this angry.

"Honey, my due date is well after Christmas. That's over four and a half weeks away."

"You don't know that, Liv. What if something happens? What if you go into labor early? What if…"

Olivia placed a finger over Alex's mouth. "Shhh. Hey. Nothing is going to happen. Dr. Powell says that I'm the picture of health. It's fine."

Alex shook her head. "I'm _not_ going. Jack can just fire me if he wants to."

"Alex, you can't _not_ go. This is your job and your responsibility. Alexandra Cabot does _not_ cut out on her responsibilities. That's not who you are. Besides, it will be weeks before Sprout makes an appearance. You can go to the conference, make McCoy happy, and be back before you know it."

Alex flopped down in her chair. She pulled Olivia to stand between her legs, placing her hands on the detective's protruding stomach. She bit her lip, looking up at Olivia with sad blue eyes. "But I don't want to be away from you and I _really_ don't like the idea of leaving you alone."

Olivia could tell that this wasn't just Alex being over protective. The blonde was truly worried. "Okay. How about this? What if we ask your Aunt Julia to come over and stay with me or I can go to her and Bill's for the week? That way, I'm not alone. You can still go do your job and not worry so much."

Alex chewed her lip and thought about it. "I still don't like it."

Olivia smirked. "I don't like it either, but it's our best option."

Alex let a long sigh before relenting. "Alright, but let the record show that I'm still against it."

Olivia chuckled. "Of course… the record is duly noted, Counselor." She pulled Alex to her feet then kissed her lips. "Come on. You promised to take your woman to lunch and she's hungry."

"What's new about that?" Alex smirked.

Olivia gave her a mock glare before smiling evilly. "Maggie!" She called loudly. "Alex is being mean to me! She called me fat!"

Alex's mouth dropped open. "I… I…didn't…" Before she could say another word, Maggie Malone was standing in her office doorway, arms on her hips looking very displeased.

Alex's shoulders slumped. Today just wasn't her day.

* * *

Travel arrangements for the conference were finalized and Alex was scheduled to leave the following Monday. She and Olivia decided to go shopping for last-minute gifts and a Christmas tree. This would be the couple's first Christmas together and they wanted to make sure they had decorations and presents before it was unsafe for Olivia to be out and about so much.

After an hour of arguing over choices, they finally agreed on a tree and had it delivered. Although she originally thought it was too big, Olivia had to admit the ten foot tree Alex insisted on getting looked beautiful once it was decorated and lit up by the window. Alex had just finished hanging their stockings on the fireplace. Olivia thought it was cute that there was a tiny stocking for Sprout.

"You know, we really should settle on a name for him." Olivia said with a chuckle as she stared at the tiny stocking. "He'll be here in less than a month and we can't keep calling him Sprout."

Alex came over and sat down next to her and took her hand. They stared at the blinking lights for a moment. "Did you have any names in mind?" Alex finally asked.

Olivia nodded. "I have one name in particular in mind. I don't know how you will feel about it."

"If you want to name him after Brian, that's understandable Olivia." Alex said evenly.

Olivia leaned over and kissed Alex on the cheek.

Alex gave her an odd look. "What was that for?"

Olivia shrugged. "For always being so unselfish."

"Liv, I'm not being unselfish. Like I said, naming him after his father is completely normal. People do it all the time. I was named after my father, remember?"

"I hadn't really thought about naming him after Brian." Olivia said quietly.

"O…kay. What did you have in mind then?"

"What do you think of…Alexander?"

Alex froze and sat in silence for a long moment.

"I thought it would be… nice for him to share the name of his grandfather… and his other mother." Olivia said nervously.

Alex took a moment to blink away the moisture in her eyes. "You want to name him after me?"

Olivia nodded.

"Are you sure you want…"

Olivia placed her fingers over Alex's lips stopping her words. "I'm sure."

Alex smiled in awe. She was a bit overwhelmed. "I umm…I don't know what to say."

Olivia smirked. "Well that's a first."

Alex narrowed her eyes but gave way to laughter. "Thank you."

"Thank you for loving us."

"It's the easiest thing I've ever done."

Olivia had to look away from the intense gaze Alex was giving her. She took a deep breath trying to reign in her libido. "So… what about you? Did you have any names in mind? I was thinking we could use Alexander as the middle name. It might be a little confusing having two Alex's in the house." Olivia said with a chuckle.

Alex nodded. "That's one of the reasons my mother started calling my father Xander."

"Xander is cute. We could call this little one Xander too."

"We'll see. He still needs another name… Something strong, perhaps like his other mother?"

Olivia shook her head. "We are not naming this kid Oliver. He will get his ass kicked every day of his life, Alex."

Alex laughed out loud. "Hey, I like Oliver. It's very distinguished."

"Alex." Olivia warned.

"Okay. I was only kidding. I didn't actually mean Oliver."

"Well we can't name him Jayne either. That would be even worse than Oliver." Olivia joked.

"No, but he'd have Benson in his last name and I happen to know that his father's name is actually James Brian Cassidy. James also happens to be very close to Jayne."

Olivia looked intrigued. "How did you know that?"

"He signed his full legal name on the forms, remember?"

Olivia nodded and thought it over for a moment. "James Alexander. It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" She looked down placing her hand on her stomach. "What do you think, little guy?"

She laughed when she felt several rapid kicks.

"I think he likes it." Olivia said before stealing a quick kiss.

Alex smiled. "I like it too."

Several minutes passed while they snuggled together on the sofa. Alex tightened her arms around Olivia and let out a sigh of pure contentment. She looked around at her home… "their" home and couldn't help but smile. Across the room was a beautiful tree with dozens of presents waiting to be opened underneath. The woman of her dreams was resting securely in her arms. There was a beautiful blue and yellow 'Winnie the Poo' nursery waiting upstairs for their baby boy to arrive. In that moment, Alex understood what true happiness was. She realized that she had nearly everything that she'd ever wanted. There was only one other thing that could make her life even more perfect.

"Marry me."

Olivia blinked. She wasn't sure she had heard Alex correctly. Surely she hadn't. "What?" She sat up and faced the blonde.

Alex almost laughed at the look on Olivia's face. They must have looked like quite the pair; Olivia shocked and Alex completely calm and sure.

"I said… marry me."

Olivia's mouth opened and closed several times with no sound escaping. "I… You… What?"

Alex untangled herself from Olivia's limbs and quickly slipped down the hall to her study. A few moments later, she returned holding something behind her back. She kneeled in front of Olivia and took her hand, then held out what looked like a blue **_Tiffany_** box.

"This isn't how I originally planned to do this. I want you to know that this is not a spur of the moment idea or something I haven't thought about a great deal. I had a whole lavish set up for New Years' Eve and I'm sure it would have been wonderful, but… it occurred to me that lavish really isn't us." She paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "This quiet moment… right now feels right. It feels like the perfect time."

"Alex…" Olivia's voice was so breathless, it could hardly be heard.

"I was just sitting here thinking about how wonderful my life is now. I have never been this happy before and it's all because of you. You make me so incredibly happy. You make me want to get up every day and _be_ better… _do_ better. I love you so much Olivia Benson. I've loved you for so long, I can hardly remember a time when I didn't love you. I've never been much of a religious person, but I know without a doubt that there is a god. I know this because… god made you perfectly for me. And I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you and the family we're building together. Falling in love with you is the best thing I've ever done. If loving you and our son is all I do for the rest of my life, it would be more than enough." She opened the box and presented a gleaming diamond out to a completely stunned Olivia. "So… will you please make me the happiest woman in the world? Will you marry me?"

By the time Alex had finished, Olivia was nearly sobbing. She had to nod several times before she could managed to say the word yes. Alex slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her into a deep kiss. They were both a mess of tears after all was said and done.

"I love you so much, Baby." Olivia said between kisses.

Alex grinned to herself as she reveled in those kisses. The proposal hadn't been a huge production like she'd originally planned; it was much better. It was tender, intimate, and sincere. It was everything they were.

"I love you too, Liv."

* * *

Olivia looked down at the address Alex had texted to her phone then back up at the tall high-rise. Shrugging her shoulders, she went inside and up to the office on the top floor. She glanced around the spacious offices and read the names on the wall behind the front desk. "Pearson-Hardman & Associates."

A pleasant young woman seated behind the desk smiled at her. "Can I help you, Miss?"

"Yes. I was supposed to meet Alexandra Cabot here."

The woman's smile brightened. "Of course. You must be Miss Benson. I was asked to have you wait in the main conference room. If you will follow me, I'll show you where it is."

"Thanks."

The woman led Olivia into a large room with glass walls. The side wall was a window that overlooked the city. It was impressive to say the least.

"Can I offer you a beverage while you wait; water or tea maybe?"

"No thank you. I'm fine."

"Very well. Mrs. Pearson will be here momentarily and I was to let you know that Miss Cabot was on her way as well. If you need anything at all, just press the intercom button and I'll be right with you."

Olivia gave her a small smile. "Thank you again."

Finally alone, Olivia took a moment to take in her surroundings again and whistled. Judging by the looks of things, this was a very high-end law firm. This even made Trevor Langon's firm look cheap. She was suddenly glad that she made the effort to dress up today.

"Hey sweetie, thanks for meeting me on such short notice." Alex said walking in. It was obvious she had come directly from the arraignment she had that morning. She was still wearing the blue suit Olivia loved.

Olivia snorted. "It's not like I have a lot on my schedule these days."

"I would have been here earlier, but I got caught in traffic. You haven't been waiting long have you?"

Olivia smiled and accepted the kiss from her fiancé. "No. I just got here a few minutes ago."

Alex allows her eyes to roam over her fiancé for the first time since she had arrived. "You look beautiful."

Olivia blushed slightly. "Thanks. I'm glad I opted not to wear my usual lounge sweats. By the looks of this place, I think I would have been woefully under-dressed. So, you want to tell me why you had me meet you here?"

Alex took a seat at the conference table next to Olivia. "This firm represents me personally as well as the company and the Cabot Foundation. You and I have a few legal matters to take care of today."

"A pre-nupt is fine with me, Alex." Olivia said noticing Alex's nervousness. She knew how much Alex was worth. It would be a smart move for someone in the blonde's position.

Alex frowned. "What would make you think I wanted a pre-nupt?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "Why wouldn't you? Isn't that why we're here?"

"Liv, we're not here to sign a pre-nupt and I have no intentions of having one in the future." Alex said unequivocally. "My intent was to have our POAs drawn up for starters. There are some other things we have to sign off on as well."

Olivia was about to question her farther when a stunning African-American woman walked in followed by a very sleek-looking gentleman. They were both impeccably dressed. Olivia wondered if everyone at the firm looked like models.

"Hello Alexandra. It's good to see you again." The woman said shaking Alex's hand.

"Jessica." Alex greeted her with a warm smile. "You look lovely as always."

"Well I did get my fashion tips from the best. Now if I could just get you to join my firm, I'd have you with me every day and my life would be perfect. You are a Harvard graduate after all." Jessica said flashing a perfect smile.

"When are you going to stop asking me that?"

"When you finally accept my proposal."

Alex rolled her eyes playfully. "Speaking of accepted proposals, I'd like you to meet my fiancé, Olivia Benson. Olivia this is a very dear friend of mine from college as well as my attorney, Jessica Pearson."

Jessica held out her hand to Olivia while offering her a warm smile. She saw the sparkling diamond on Olivia's hand and winked in Alex's direction. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Benson. I've heard quite a bit about you."

"You can call me Olivia." She said shaking his hand. "And all good I hope?"

"Of course. Alex hasn't stopped singing your praises." Jessica turned and waved the gentleman over. "This is my Senior Associate, Harvey Specter. Alex I believe you two have met."

Alex gave Harvey the trademark Cabot smirk. "We went up against one another a few times back in the day."

Harvey chuckled and shook his head. "What she means is she kicked my ass a time or two."

"Whose ass hasn't Alex kicked at least once?" Jessica said.

"Alright, enough stroking my ego; we have legal matters that need attending."

"Of course. Let's get started shall we." Jessica said taking a seat at the head of the table. Harvey took the seat across from them.

"I had everything you requested drawn up and I went through it with a fine tooth comb to make sure it was exactly as you wanted it." She passed Alex a thick leather-bound folder. "Those are your power of attorney. We took the liberty of drawing up your fiancé's papers as well. It gives you full rights as spouses and the power to make any decisions regarding one another medically and in any other capacity."

Alex flipped through the forms and nodded. She turned to Olivia. "Is this alright with you?"

Olivia nodded. "Of course."

"You can take your time and read this if you'd like, Olivia." Jessica said without preamble. "Alex pays us very well to sit and wait."

Olivia chuckled. "That's alright. I trust Alex. If she thinks we need to sign these, I will."

"Alright." Alex took the pen Harvey was holding out to her and quickly signed her name on the marked lines. She then passed Olivia her forms and guided her through it them all.

Olivia thought that was it, but Jessica started pulling out more leather-bound folders. "These two are your Living Will and Last Will and Testament. I personally made the changes that you requested. I had copies sent over by messenger to your office this morning."

"I received them. They looked perfect." Alex said glancing at Olivia. "I think now would be a good time for you to explain the changes to Olivia."

Olivia perked up a little. "You changed your Will?"

"Olivia, Alex felt it was necessary to make a few alterations due to your recent engagement. As her fiancé, you are now the sole beneficiary. By signing, should anything happen to Alex, you will of course be the collector of her estate. Alex's fifty-five percent of Cabot Enterprises would automatically go to you, making you the majority stockholder."

Olivia's eyes widened. "Wait… What?"

"That is only in the event of Alex's death. However, once you marry and you become her legal spouse, you will be given fifteen percent of your own stock within the company. Alex has also designated that ten percent will go to your son when he is born…congratulations by the way. You will be your son's proxy until he reaches twenty-one years of age. All of this will take effect as soon as you sign the domestic partnership and spousal agreement today. I should warn you that you're going to have to sign quite a few forms, but you will have the same rights and privileges as any other married couple and most importantly be completely covered in the eyes of the law. "

Olivia's eyes widened when she looked at the number of zeros staring back at her from the pages Jessica was showing her. She was feeling very overwhelmed and apparently it showed in her expression.

"Alex, I can't…I can't sign these. This is too much!" Olivia said still in a state of shock.

"Jessica, Harvey I'm going to need the room for a moment?" Alex said with a hint of authority.

Jessica and Harvey glanced at one another and stood. "Certainly. Just let us know when you're ready."

Alex waited until the door closed behind the two attorneys.

"Liv… "

"What in the hell do you think you're doing, Alex?"

"I'm trying to take care of my future wife and son." Alex said calmly. She had expected resistance from the stubborn detective when she started the process.

"Stocks and talk about wills and your estate. It's all a little too much." Olivia stood and walked over to the window. She looked out over the city trying to regain her center.

Alex stayed silent for a while allowing the brunette to have a moment. She stood and slowly made her way over to her fiancé.

"I need to know that you will be taken care of if something was to happen to me, Olivia."

"Stop saying that! Nothing is going to happen to you." Olivia said shaking her head against the thought. She'd lived through that nightmare before.

Alex took a calming breath and gently turned Olivia to face her. "I hope you are right, but you and I both know how unpredictable life can be. After what happened with Velez, I promised myself that I would never leave anything to chance again. I need to be prepared. I also need to know that should something ever happen to _you_ that I would be allowed to make decisions concerning _your_ care. This is important, Olivia."

"I get that. I have no problem with the medical decisions, but Alex… you changed your Will. You can't leave your entire estate to me. What will your family say about that?"

"First of all, you _are_ my family; you and our son. Secondly, as my wife you will be legally entitled to certain privileges whether you accept it or not. My extended family will understand that."

"Alex, I… can't offer you the same. I have my savings; that's basically it."

Alex took Olivia's hands. "We've been through this, Olivia. I'm not asking you to offer me the same. I don't need you to give me anything. You're giving me a family. That's enough."

Olivia groaned and pulled away. "I just don't feel comfortable taking your money."

Alex crossed her arms and stared at the detective. "Olivia, if I were a man... your _husband_ would this matter so much to you?"

"Alex, don't start cross-examining me."

"What if the tables were reversed? What if you were very wealthy, would you want to make sure I was taken care of if something happened to you?"

Again Olivia groaned. "That's not fair."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. It just feels unfair. You're a lawyer. I can never win arguments with you." Olivia pouted.

Alex moved closer and took Olivia by the hands again. She pulled her into a loose embrace.

"Olivia, it is just money. I know that if something happened to either of us, no amount of money would _ever_ make that alright. I would, however, feel much better knowing that if I couldn't be here for you or our son that I could at least take comfort in knowing that you wouldn't have finances as another worry added to the burden of grief."

Olivia paused and stared at the floor for a long time before looking up into earnest blue eyes. "Do you think you could have your fancy lawyers draw up a few things for me? I may not be a multi-millionaire like you, but what I have is yours."

"I'm sure that won't be a problem." Alex smiled warmly before softly kissing her lips. "I promise I'm not trying to buy you or control you. Nothing is more important to me than you and our son. I just want to make sure you're taken care of, Liv. I can sign all of these papers without having a single doubt because I know that you're it for me."

Olivia snorted. "How is it possible for you to make a talk about Wills and legal matters so romantic?"

Alex shrugged. "Fin says I've got skills."

Olivia laughed and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Alex. Are you sure you don't want a pre-nupt?"

Alex shook her head. "Absolutely not."

Olivia leaned in and kissed Alex softly. "Alright Counselor, we'll do it your way. Go get your lawyers so we can get this over with. I'm hungry and you're taking me to dinner."

"Yes dear." Alex said obediently.

"I'm really beginning to like that." Olivia said with a smirk.

* * *

Olivia and Julia were sitting on the sofa watching "A Wonderful Life" when the phone rang. Olivia absently picked the receiver up without checking the ID.

"Hello?"

"I'm looking for my red-hot fiancé. She's about 5'9, unbelievable brown eyes, gorgeous smile, and a body men go to war over." Said the smooth mezzo voice on the other end.

Olivia laughed and her face lit up. Julia smiled knowingly as she got up and headed to the kitchen to give Olivia privacy. She knew by that smile that it was her niece on the phone.

"I seriously doubt anyone would go to war over this body. I look like a beached whale." Olivia snorted.

"You do not. My fiancé happens to look amazing."

"Who would have guessed that Alexandra Cabot the 'Ice Princess' was such a romantic?"

Alex's laughter floated through the phone. "Only for you sweetheart. How are you by the way?"

"The same as I was this morning when you called." Olivia said rolling her eyes even though she secretly loved Alex fussing over her. "Feet are still swollen and I have to pee every five minutes, which means you have about four minutes before I have to put the phone down to go again."

"Are you letting Aunt Julia look after you?"

"Yes dear." Olivia chuckled. "I can't wait for you to come home though. I miss you already."

Alex's heart ached. She was missing Olivia as well. She had only been away for two and a half days and the conference wouldn't be over for another three. She was about to come out of her skin with worry over Olivia.

"I miss you too, Liv."

"How is the conference going?"

"Still boring as hell. I'm beginning to think that I might have unknowingly pissed Jack off and this is my punishment. What have you been up to today?"

"Nothing much. Your aunt is a lot like you. She won't let me do anything other than sit, eat, and sleep. She's pretty generous with the pee breaks though."

"I heard that, dear." Came a smooth mezzo voice from the kitchen. It was eerily similar to Alex's which Olivia thought was a little scary.

Olivia giggled. "Oops. I think I might be in a timeout soon."

Alex laughed. "On that note, I should probably let you go before Aunt Julia breaks out the wooden spoon. I have another session to attend in half an hour anyway. I just needed to hear your voice."

"Feel free to call anytime, Counselor."

"I'll keep that in mind. I love you, Liv."

"I love you too, Babe."

Olivia placed the phone back on the dock and sighed. Julia had returned with a sandwich and juice. She saw the gloomy look on the brunette's face and smiled sadly.

"You really do miss Alexandra don't you?"

Olivia nodded. "I know it's silly. She's only been gone a few days and I'm the one that insisted that she go in the first place."

"But you still miss her." Julia supplied.

"Yeah. She drives me nuts fussing over me when she's here but… it's like a piece of me is missing. It's crazy because I've spent most of my life alone but now… I feel a so unsettled without her."

Julia patted her hand gently and grinned at the gleaming diamond there. "That's perfectly normal dear. That's what happens when you truly love someone. They become a part of you."

"I guess you're right."

"Trust me dear. After nearly forty years of marriage, I know true love when I see it." Julia winked.

* * *

The following day Olivia and Julia ventured out of the apartment for a while. Julia had an appointment and a few errands to run. Not wanting to leave Olivia alone, Julia took her to the 1-6 to have lunch with her friends while she took care of her business about town. When Olivia walked through the doors, she was greeted with a few whistles and cheers which caused her to blush. Sometimes the guys she worked with could be so sweet.

After a leisurely lunch, Nick and Amanda were called out to a scene and Fin was out chasing a lead. Olivia sat with John trading barbs and discussing his latest conspiracy theories. While he was in the middle of one of his more outlandish stories, Olivia felt the beginnings of another bout of heartburn. Out of nowhere, she felt several sharp pains and then there was wetness between her legs. She swallowed hard and looked at John who was still chatting away about something of no importance.

"John." She said calmly.

"And I don't know why people don't take these things more seriously."

"John."

"It really is a trap set up by the government."

"John!"

"What?"

"John, I don't want you to panic… but I think my water just broke."

For the first time in history, John Munch was speechless.

TBC...

* * *

Coming Soon: Where's Alex?


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Here's the next chapter. I know it's much shorter than usual, but I've been really busy this week. I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think.

* * *

Chapter 29: Where's Alex?

John Munch had over thirty years of experience as a New York City police officer. He'd seen and heard just about everything imaginable. But nothing had prepared him for the hell he was living through at this very moment. Olivia Benson was in labor and somehow he had become the person responsible for her.

Getting her to the hospital had been the easy part. Once he had gotten past the initial shock, John leaped into action driving them to the hospital and making sure Olivia got the proper medical assistance. Unfortunately, he was then presented with the duty of informing an extremely pissed Alexandra Cabot that not only was her fiancé in labor but three weeks early. That phone call had been a real joy. John had no idea that Cabot knew that many curse words. He was certain that half of them were in French and possibly German.

Alex had gone from worried to pissed back to a nervous wreck in the span of sixty seconds. John finally passed the phone over to Olivia who was able to calm the frantic attorney enough for her to start making the drive back to the city. He just prayed Alex made it in time because Olivia's contractions were increasing as every hour passed.

"Just breathe through it, Liv. That's good. Breathe." John said holding her hand.

Olivia laid her head back and growled. "Stop telling me to breathe! What the hell do you think I'm doing?"

John nodded and took the abuse. "Do you want the ice chips? The nurse said you could have those."

"What I want is Alex! I don't want any _fucking_ ice chips! I want Al… Ahhhhh! Fuck that hurts!"

Another contraction hit and Olivia squeezed John's hand. He winced in pain. "My hand Olivia! You're breaking my hand!"

"Your hand?! This kid is breaking my _body_ and you're worried about your _fucking_ hand?! Unbelievable! Grow a pair, John!"

"Breathe through it, Liv. It will pass just like the others."

"Where the fuck is Alex? She left hours ago! She should be here by now." She said through clenched teeth.

"I don't know. Fin said he spoke with her on the phone a while ago and she was on her way. She's coming, Liv." John said wiping her sweaty brow.

The contraction passed and she flopped back against the bed. "She has to be here. She promised she'd be here."

John gently rubbed her hand. "She'll make it. You just relax and do your part."

The door opened and Dr. Powell entered. "How are we doing, Olivia?"

"We? _We_ aren't anything. I don't know about you, but _I'm_ in labor! How do you think I'm doing?" Olivia snapped.

The doctor chuckled. She had been delivering babies for years so she was used to irritated women in labor. The insults didn't even phase her anymore. "Well, let's take a look and see how you're progressing."

John tried to step away, but Olivia wouldn't let go of his hand. He could feel her trembling as the doctor examined her. Once the doctor finished, she looked up at Olivia and smiled.

"Looks like you will be having this little guy in the next hour. "

Olivia looked stricken. "But… no… Alex is not here yet."

"Well Alex had better hurry then… because this baby is coming… soon." She said before leaving the room.

Olivia turned to John with panic in her eyes. "You have to get Alex. I'm not having this baby without her here. She can't miss this."

Just then, Fin poked his head inside the door. He met John's eyes and jerked his head beckoning his former partner over. Olivia watched them carefully as the two whispered intensely to one another. She couldn't hear what was said, but she'd become fairly good at reading expressions… and from the looks of things something definitely wasn't right.

John nodded and went back to Olivia's side as Fin disappeared out the door again.

Olivia couldn't explain it, but there was an uneasy feeling rising in her chest. "John?" She said slowly. "What was that about?"

John kept his face impassive. "Nothing. You just need to concentrate on having this kid."

"John?" Olivia pulled his hand and made him meet her eyes. "Tell me what Fin said to you just now."

"Olivia, it's nothing... really."

"John..." The feeling in Olivia's chest grew stronger. "John, what's going on?"

John shook his head. "Olivia…"

"Please don't lie to me. I can't take that right now."

John looked at her for a long moment then nodded. "There's been an accident."

Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to breathe even though it was suddenly hard to find the oxygen. "John… where's Alex?" She asked already knowing the answer.

"Olivia…" John held her hand tightly and sighed heavily. "Alex was in a car accident. Fin said she was just brought in by ambulance."

TBC...

* * *

Sorry about the cliff hanger. I should be able to update again tomorrow so you won't be left hanging for too long. Your feedback is always welcome.


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Here's the next installment. Thanks for the reviews. The feedback is very helpful. I'm glad to see that people are still enjoying this story. I hope I don't disappoint with this chapter. Like always, let me know what you think.

* * *

Chapter 30: When a cliché isn't just a cliché

Alex had heard the cliché. '_I saw my entire life flash before my eyes.'_ She'd heard people use that phrase a thousand times, but she had never given it much thought. Even when she had been gunned down years before, she didn't remember much about those terrifying moments. The only thing she could remember was the look on Olivia's face and the tone of her voice as she begged Alex to hang on. This time was different. She really did see her entire life flashing before her eyes because her entire life was Olivia and their son. The loving memory of Olivia standing in the doorway waving goodbye as she left for the conference had been Alex's last image before impact and suddenly… everything went blank.

_'Female… Caucasian… Approximately thirty-six years old… Vehicular Impact on driver's side… She was in and out on the way over… '_

The strident voice of the paramedic caused Alex's eyes to flutter open. She blinked at the bright lights and loud noises ringing in her ears. Everything seemed to be moving around her. There were several voices all speaking over one another; the stream of words flowing together in confusion.

_'Call in Neuro and Orthopedics…' _

_'Chest CT… EKG… Five units…'_

_'Patient's ID says Cabot, Alexandra…'_

_'BP dropping…. Prepare the OR… STAT…' _

She felt like she was in a trance. Her eyes couldn't focus. She couldn't move her body. The last thing she could remember was talking to John. Olivia was in labor. She had been driving, trying to get back to Olivia. Fragmented memories of flying glass and screeching metal catapulted her in and out of consciousness. Then there was pain, unbelievable pain.

A bright light was flashed into her eyes as she came awake again. "Ms. Cabot? Alexandra? Is that your name?" Came a warm female voice.

Alex tried to turn her head towards the voice, but quickly realized something was around her neck. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. She could taste blood in her mouth. It hurt to breathe. The owner of the voice finally leaned over into Alex's line of vision.

"I want you to blink if Alexandra Cabot is your name. Can you do that for me?"

Alex concentrated as hard as she could and blinked. She wanted to sit up. She wanted to move but realized her arms were restrained.

The doctor gently placed her hand on her shoulder and stared into her eyes. "Alexandra, you need to stay calm. You were in an accident. You are at Bellevue Hospital. My name is Dr. Avery Livingston. I'm going to take good care of you, alright?"

Alex tried again to speak. "O…liv…. Liv…"

"I know you want to _live_. I'm going to make sure that happens. You're going to be fine."

Blinded by a curtain of pain, Alex fell back into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Olivia, you have to stay in bed. You're in labor. You can't go anywhere!" John pleaded trying to keep Olivia in the small hospital bed.

"I have to get to Alex. She could be hurt or…" She choked back a sob.

John held her in place. "Fin is down there. He's going to find out everything you need to know, but you can't leave this bed."

"John, my fiancé… the woman I love… could be down there fighting for her life. I _need_ to be with her!"

"No! You don't!" He yelled. "You have to stay here and give birth to your child. That is your first priority. That's what Cabot would want and you know it."

Olivia was about to protest when another contraction hit. She groaned loudly and tried to breathe. John sat with her and guided her through it. A few minutes later, Fin came through the door. John could read his old partner's face before he even said a word. He knew it wasn't good. He slipped out the door for a moment to talk to him.

"Alex is in surgery. It looks pretty bad. I spoke to the officers on the scene. Apparently, the driver of a sixteen-wheeler fell asleep at the wheel and T-boned Cabot at an intersection. Cabot's tiny Mercedes didn't stand a chance. The state trooper said it was a mangled mess and they had to cut her out."

"Fuck!" John sighed heavily and rubbed his face. "She doesn't need this now."

"How's Liv doing in there?"

"In labor and worried sick about Alex. This is so fucked up, Fin."

"Don't I know it." Fin nodded solemnly. "You better get back in there. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything more."

John turned and went back into the room. Olivia was crying. He went to her and took her hand in his. "John, please tell me that Alex is okay."

"They just took Alex down to surgery. She has some… injuries. Fin is going to stay there and update you as soon as he hears something."

"I have to be with her, John." Olivia said trying to pull herself out of bed again.

"Olivia, you get back into that bed this instant!"

John and Olivia turned and saw Julia Harriman rushing into the room. John let out a sigh of relief. He didn't know if he would be able to handle Olivia all by himself for much longer.

"But Julia, you don't understand. Alex is hurt and she needs me."

Julia gently caressed her head. "Shh. It's alright, dear. Bill is with Alexandra. She's strong and she has a team of the best surgeons working to care for her. Alexandra would want you to concentrate on your son. You know that. Please do that for her."

Olivia laid back and started to sob. "She has to be okay, Julia. She just has to be okay."

Julia held her close and offered as much comfort as she could.

* * *

Fin Tutuola and Bill Harriman must have looked like the oddest pair as they paced the length of the waiting room together. Two men from completely different worlds were brought together in this moment because they both loved the same woman. They both loved Alexandra Cabot.

Bill couldn't help but think of his headstrong niece. He loved her and she was a daughter to him in every sense of the word. Alex had always held a special place in his heart. Grieving for her the first time had nearly broken him and his wife. He didn't want to even think of how heartbreaking it would be if they were to lose her again.

Fin was lost in his own thoughts as well. He couldn't believe how unfair life could be. Alex and Olivia were two of the best people he knew. They were honest to goodness good people. He didn't understand why something like this would happen to them. If Alex didn't pull through this, he knew that Olivia wouldn't survive the heartbreak. She would bring her son into the world the same day she lost the love of her life. It would be like trading one love for another. Surely, life wouldn't be so cruel.

"Is there someone here for Alexandra Cabot?" A young nurse asked.

Bill and Fin both walked up. "I'm her uncle. This is a close friend of hers. How is she?"

"Her surgeon asked me to come out and let you know that we have her stabilized at the moment, but she has some extensive internal injuries. I will be coming out to give you updates as the surgery proceeds."

Bill and Fin nodded and sat down. They both knew it was going to be a long wait.

* * *

"Come on Liv, push!" Julia said wiping her brow.

Olivia clenched her teeth and pushed, bearing down on John's hand. Once Julia counted to ten, she fell back against the pillow in exhaustion.

"You're doing great, Olivia." Dr. Powell said looking up. "You're almost there. Just one more hard push and you'll be meeting your son."

"Did you hear that, Liv? You're kid is almost here. Just push a little more." John encouraged.

Olivia was a sweaty mess and exhausted beyond imagination. "I can't. I'm too tired."

"Yes, you can. You can do this, Olivia." Julia tried.

Olivia shook her head. "I can't do this. I can't… not without Alex."

Dr. Powell gave John a strong look. "You have to get her to push… now. We have to get this baby out."

"Don't you dare give up like this, Liv! Alex wouldn't want that."

"How would you know what Alex would want?" She said pitifully. All she wanted was Alex right now, but Alex wasn't there.

John grabbed her chin and got right into her face. "I know that Cabot is going to be okay. She's Teflon! That woman took on one of the toughest drug cartels and survived years of witness protection before clawing her way back to her life… back to you. She would move heaven and earth to be here with you if she could. I know that she's down there fighting with everything that she's got to get back to you and your son. Don't you get that?! She never gives up so you do not get to give up either, Olivia! Do you have any idea how pissed Cabot will be when she wakes up and realizes that something has happened to you or her kid? I promise you that it won't be pleasant and I don't want to be around when she starts shoving her four inch Manolo Blahniks up everyone's asses. Now god-damn it push!"

Olivia conjured the very last ounce of strength she had and pushed; she pushed for Alex. After the longest ten seconds of her life, she sagged back on the bed. The room was eerily silent until out of nowhere came this loud, high-pitched screaming. It had to be the sweetest sound Olivia had ever heard.

"Congratulations Olivia. You're the proud mother of a baby boy." Dr. Powell said lifting the crying baby from her body.

John and Julia both took a quick peak and grinned.

"Well I'll be damned. Would you look at that? I don't believe it." John said breathlessly.

"What? What is it?" Olivia asked a little worried.

"Take a look for yourself, Mommy." He said as the doctor placed the baby on her chest.

Olivia looked down into the face of her son for the first time and wept.

"Well what do you know? Alex somehow managed to give this kid her eyes." John said smiling.

Olivia grinned through her tears as she saw her son looking at her with the most radiant blue eyes. He had a head full of brown hair; skin a beautiful olive tone. When he opened his mouth to yawn, Olivia saw the hint of tiny dimples in his cheeks. He was perfect.

"Hi there. I'm your Mommy." She whispered.

Julia wiped her own tears away and gently touched the baby's cheek. "He's beautiful, Olivia… just beautiful."

Olivia took a few moments to examine her son's fingers and toes. They stared into each other's eyes as if they had known one another a lifetime.

"Olivia, the nurse wanted to know if you had decided on a name already or if you'd like to wait?" Julia said.

"No, Alex and I chose a name a few weeks ago. It's James Alexander Benson-Cabot."

Julia smiled and relayed the information to the nurse.

"You've got quite a name to live up to kid." John said touching the baby's tiny hand.

Olivia smiled sadly, still worried about Alex. "His mother is Alexandra Cabot… nothing else would ever do."

TBC...

* * *

Coming Soon... Olivia has decisions to make.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I know it's a little long, but bear with me. Thank you for following and reviewing my little story. There will only be a few more chapters, but I am considering a sequel. Like always, let me know what you think. Happy reading!

* * *

Chapter 31: Keeping Promises

A very tired and haggard looking Avery Livingston walked into the waiting room and spotted the family she was looking for immediately. There were two men and a woman who looked like an older version of her patient sitting in silence. They all stood as soon as they saw her. She held up her hand to ward off the incoming questions as soon as she approached them.

"I'm Dr. Livingston. I was the surgeon on call when Ms. Cabot was brought into the ER."

"How is she?" Bill asked anxiously.

"Ms. Cabot survived the surgery. It was very touch and go for a while. She was brought in with serious internal bleeding and damage to her spine and pancreas. We were able to find the source of the bleeding and repair the damage. Her left lung was punctured by one of the broken ribs and had to be inflated."

She paused as she heard the older woman gasp and cry.

"The CT scan showed a concussion, but no other significant damage to the head. She did have a deep cut along her hairline. We had our plastic surgeon stitch the cut up so there should be very little scarring. The Orthopedic surgeon was able to repair the fracture to the lower right leg. I'm sure he will be in to speak with you soon. It looks like that injury will require additional surgery once she improves."

"You said there was injury to the spine. How bad?" Julia asked.

Avery looked very grave. "There is a lot of swelling in the area surrounding the spinal cord. There will be no way we can tell how bad it is until the patient wakes up."

"Will she be alright?" Fin asked with a skeptical tone.

Avery sighed. "As I said before, Ms. Cabot survived the surgery. I am almost certain that she will require more. The accident was very traumatic to her body. There's never a guarantee when it comes to these matters. Surgically, we've done all we can do at this point. The next twenty-four hours will be critical to her recovery."

"Can we see her?"

"She will be moved up to ICU and a nurse will come find you."

"Thank you, doctor."

"You're welcome." Avery hesitated for a moment. "I should probably tell you that I recognized Miss Cabot when she was brought in. I'm a friend of Detective Benson's. Has she been contacted?"

Julia nodded and quietly informed the doctor about the entire situation. Avery sighed heavily. "Please let Olivia know that I will do my very best to see Alex through this."

"I will. Thank you again, Dr. Livingston."

Shortly after, Bill and Julia went back up to the maternity ward and filled Olivia in. Just as expected, Olivia was demanding to see Alex. This time there was no talking the detective out of it. Both Julia and Bill knew how stubborn 'their girls' could be. They were no match for them, especially now. Julia knew what she had to do. It was making it happen that was the hard part.

* * *

"Ma'am, I understand the situation, but we have hospital policies and regulations for a reason. We can't just allow patients to do whatever they want." The nurse said rolling her eyes. She had been going around and around with this woman for several minutes and she was growing tired of it.

"I'm not asking you to…" Julia sighed in frustration. "She just gave birth to their child. She just wants to see her fiancé, if only for a moment. Surely, you're not so unfeeling that you cannot understand that."

"Look ma'am, this is the intensive care unit. We cannot allow one patient to leave her room and her medical treatment to be with another no matter what the circumstance." The nurse snapped.

She turned away and mumbled something under her breath. Julia could have sworn she heard the word bitch.

Julia raised a brow and her back bone straightened. "Excuse me. What did you just say?"

The nurse ignored her which only infuriated Julia more. She pulled out her cell phone and made a call. She made sure she was staring directly at the nurse as she spoke.

"Elias. It's Julia Harriman. How are you, dear?"

The nurse snorted. Who cared if this old lady knew someone? She was just doing her job.

"I'm having a bit of trouble here at the hospital. You remember my niece, Alexandra? Yes, unfortunately she's been in an accident." Julia shook her head. "No. No. She's receiving excellent care. It's her partner, Olivia. Yes… she went into labor. The baby is fine. The poor thing is completely distraught because she can't see Alexandra. Something about hospital policy…. Oh, good you understand." Julia paused and nodded again. "That would be wonderful if you could. I would really appreciate it. I'm sure the Cabot Foundation will be very appreciative at the next board meeting. Thank you, Elias."

Julia ended her call and tilted her head at the nurse. The nurse swallowed growing a little nervous.

"I wasn't trying to cause you a problem or be difficult. I was just trying to take care of my family. And speaking of family… do me a favor and look at that wall over there." Julia leaned against the desk and casually examined her nails. "Be a dear and read what is says."

The nurse frowned in confusion. "It says… The Alexander Fitzgerald Cabot Intensive Care Unit."

"And what is written underneath?"

"Funded by Helena Grayson-Cabot and the… Cabot… Foundation." It finally dawned on her that the name on the wall was the same name of the patient in question. She closed her eyes. It really did not pay to get out of bed some mornings.

"Maybe I should introduce myself. My name is Julia Grayson-Harriman." Julia politely held out her hand to the nurse. The nurse shook it weakly. "That young woman in there is my niece, Alexandra Grayson-Cabot; the daughter of the people named on that wall there and the heir to the Foundation that pretty much keeps this place open and running and undoubtedly paying your salary. You might want to sit down dear. You're about to receive a phone call."

The nurse was a little startled by the sound of the ringing phone. Julia waited as the nurse answered. She watched as the nurse slowly sat down and became paler by the second. The younger woman finally ended the call and cleared her throat.

"The hospital apologizes for your inconvenience and we will be happy to make arrangements to make your _family_ more comfortable." The nurse said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Thank you. That's all we're asking for." Julia said walking away.

"Bitch." The nurse mumbled under her breath again.

Julia stopped mid-step and turned. She sent a glare so icy it would have made Alex proud. "Wouldn't you be if it were _your_ daughters in here? Oh, and I wouldn't get too comfortable, dear. You're going to be taking an _extended_ break very soon."

* * *

Bill was sitting by Alex's bed when the door opened and Julia wheeled Olivia inside. He stood and gave Olivia a kiss on the head as he guided the wheel chair over to the bed. Olivia took a deep breath and tried to hold back the sobs as she laid eyes on Alex for the first time in nearly a week. For a moment, Olivia just sat there unable to move. Alex looked so small and frail; two words that no would have ever used to describe the young attorney. Her skin looked unusually pale; tubes and medical tape covered her striking features. Olivia could see the scrapes and bruises that marred the once perfect alabaster skin; skin she had mapped with her hands hundreds of times. The image was a drastic contrast to the larger than life personality that everyone revered.

Olivia heard the door close quietly, leaving her alone with Alex. The room was completely silent except for the sound of the ventilator that was helping Alex breathe and the beeping of the monitors. Slowly, Olivia reached out and carefully took Alex's hand in her own. She was immediately struck by how cold it felt.

Olivia's chin began to quiver, but she fought the urge to cry. She needed to be strong for Alex. It felt as if her entire world had been tilted and nothing made sense anymore. She thought back to the conversation she and Alex had a week earlier. Alex had insisted that they have legal papers drawn up giving each other medical power of attorney. When Olivia had signed those papers, never in a million years did she think they would ever need to be used, but here they were with Alex lying here fighting for her life. A lone tear fell from her eye and she quickly wiped it away.

Olivia's other hand hovered over Alex's chest for a moment as she watched it rise and fall. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to drift back to the last night they had made love. She remembered that nothing had separated her hand and Alex's skin. She recalled tracing every single one of Alex's now battered and bruised ribs. She had joked about fattening Alex up because she needed more to hold on to. She could almost hear Alex's hearty laughter echo in her ears. What she wouldn't give to hear that beautiful laugh one more time.

"Alex? Baby, it's me. I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm here. I want you to know that I'm going to be right here when you wake up and I'm going to take care of you. I'm going to be strong for you like you've been strong for me…. but you have to stay with me so I can do that." She gently brushed her fingers along Alex's cheek. "You promised me that you'd never leave me again, Cabot. You promised that you'd be here with me and our son. Did you hear that? Our son is _here_ and he needs you. _I_ need you. Please don't leave me, Alex. I love you."

Olivia laid her head down on the bed and rested against Alex's arm. Still holding her hand tightly, Olivia closed her eyes to the sounds of the beeping machines.

* * *

When Dr. Avery Livingston entered Olivia's room the next morning, Olivia instantly knew something was wrong. She tensed while Julia and Bill each took one of her hands. It was like they could sense it too.

"What is it, Avery?"

Avery glanced between Olivia and the older couple almost asking for permission. "Whatever you need to tell me, they can hear it."

Avery nodded before dragging a small chair close to the bed. "You already know that there was trauma to the Alex's spinal area. The swelling has not decreased like we had hoped. As a matter of fact, it seems to be getting worse."

A tear fell from Olivia's eye. "What does that mean?"

"It means that we need to relieve that pressure that's building up before it causes more damage."

"Okay. If that will make her better, why haven't you already done that?"

Avery paused. "Olivia, anytime you are dealing with any type of spinal cord injury, things are very… risky."

"What are you trying to tell me, Avery? Just be straight with me."

"The surgery could help Alex, but it is a very high risk surgery."

Olivia tensed. "How high risk? What kind of percentages are we talking here?"

"It's about fifty-fifty."

"Fifty-fifty as in… she could die? Is that what you're telling me?"

"There's a fifty percent chance that the surgery could cause paralysis… or worse. Death is always a part of the equation when it comes to serious surgery."

Olivia just sat there in silence. She could hear Julia and Bill asking Avery random questions but she couldn't seem to concentrate on their words. All she could think about was paralysis and death.

"Olivia, you are Alex's fiancé and medical proxy. You have to be the person to make the decision. You have to authorize the surgery."

"You're asking me to decide if the woman I love should have a surgery that might leave her paralyzed or worse?" Olivia shook her head. "What happens if she doesn't have it?"

"The buildup in fluid could lead to numerous things."

"Such as?"

"Such as infection, severe nerve damage, possible paralysis anyway. Like I said, it's hard to say."

Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat. "How long do I have to decide?"

"The surgical team is on stand-by. They would need to know within the next hour or so."

"Okay." She looked up at Julia. "Can you take me to the somewhere? I need to be alone to think."

"Sure."

"Come back in an hour, Avery."

* * *

Olivia sat in the front of the chapel staring that the beautiful mosaic stained glass high above her.

"It's been a long time since I've been in your house; probably too long for your liking. I know you know why I'm here, so I won't waste your time explaining. God... Alexandra Cabot is one of your most wonderful creations. She is a beautiful spirit. She's kind, compassionate, and honest to a fault. She's just the kind of person you'd want others to aspire to be. For some reason, I've been given this choice to make. I honestly don't know what to do. It's so ironic. Alex would be the first person I would run to for advice. She'd know exactly what to do. So, here I am asking… no begging you… please help me make the right choice. Please don't take my Alex from me. I'll do _anything...anything_ if you don't take her away from me."

Julia leaned back against the door. Her heart ached for Olivia. Olivia had become like a daughter to her and she knew she would be devastated if Alex didn't pull through. "Dear God, please help us. We need you. We need you now."

* * *

Forty-eight hours after giving birth to her son, Olivia was more exhausted than she thought possible. According to Avery, Alex's surgery had gone as well as it could have. Now, they just had to wait and see. Olivia felt the pressure of the decision she had been forced to make. If Alex was paralyzed or worse as a result of that decision, she knew she would never be able to forgive herself.

She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was getting close to her time to leave Alex. With the help of Julia and Bill, Olivia had been going back and forth between the maternity ward to ICU so she could be with the baby and at Alex's side as much as possible. After Julia's little run in with the now _unemployed_ nurse, the staff seemed to be going out of their way to make sure Olivia's needs were met. Apparently, a call from the hospital's chairman of the board was all it took.

Unfortunately, Alex's condition was still the same. She had not regained consciousness and the ventilator was still helping her breathe. Avery had come in and spoken with her at length about Alex's condition and what to expect. The doctor had tried to ease Olivia's worry by pointing out the fact that Alex was holding her own. She hadn't taken a turn for the worse which was a positive sign, but that did little to ease the constant ache in Olivia's chest.

Olivia watched the steady rise and fall of Alex's chest as the numerous monitors beeped at a fixed rhythm. Olivia reached over and took Alex's hand in her own.

"I did something yesterday that I haven't done in a long time. I sat in the chapel and prayed; I prayed for you. It's been so long since I've done it; I'm not even sure if I did it right. I'm not sure if you're supposed to try to strike deals with God, but I said that I'd _agree_ to anything… _do_ _anything_ just to keep you with me." She said as her voice cracked. She wiped the tears that escaped her eyes. "I don't know what I'm doing, Alex. You always know the right thing to do… right thing to say to make everything okay. I could really use some of that Cabot confidence right now. Everyone just assumes that I'm the strong one, but we both know they're wrong, don't we? I know you're probably tired of hearing me say this, but I really need you to get better because I can't do this without you. You've ruined me, Cabot. You've ruined me and now I don't work without you. So, I need you to come back to me. I need you to wake up and start giving orders. Please… just open those beautiful blue eyes for me."

Olivia was met with the same silence from before. She laid her head on the bed and continued to talk about anything that came to mind hoping that something would wake her sleeping beauty. After spending over an hour talking to Alex's still form, Olivia let the nurse know she was ready to return to her room. She hated the fact that she had to leave. She wanted to be by Alex's side every moment, but she couldn't be in two places at one time. She now had their son to think about. He needed her too. It was all a little overwhelming.

* * *

Bill and Julia Harriman had been a godsend, especially Julia. She was like the protective mother, wise aunt, and doting grandmother all in one. The woman seemed to be able to sense when Olivia needed a hand to hold and when she needed space to cry and think. The older couple as well as her fellow detectives from the 1-6 had been a constant source of strength. John and Cragen had taken to being honorary uncles to baby Xander. He was never in need of attention when they were around. John, especially, had formed a special bond with her son. Olivia supposed it was because John had helped bring him into the world. She would forever be grateful to John for that.

Liz Donnelly, Serena and Amanda had become her unexpected quiet companions. They didn't say much. Liz would just sit and hold her hand as she cried and made deals with God. Serena and Amanda would listen when Olivia needed to vent her frustrations and fears. Nick and Fin had taken on the roles of her protective brothers. If there was anything that needed taken care of, Nick and Fin were all over it. Nick had sat by her bedside while she waited anxiously for Alex's second surgery to end while Fin had paced outside the operating room. Their little unconventional family had banded together in her time of need and Olivia honestly didn't know what she would have done without any of them.

A soft tap on the door brought her out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw Fin poking his head inside. She gave him a tired smile and waved him in.

"Hey Liv. How you feeling?"

She took a deep breath and shrugged. She opened her mouth and nothing came out. Fin nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed. He opened his arms and she fell into them. He held her tightly and allowed her to cry. He never said anything. He just rubbed her back and let her be. Once she was all cried out, she pulled back and grabbed a few tissues from the nightstand by the bed.

"Sorry about that. It just sort of hits me in waves." She mumbled while wiping her eyes.

"Nothing to be sorry about. You don't need to be strong all the time, Liv. There's no judgment here." He moved from the bed and sat in the chair. He kept his grasp on her hand.

"I don't know what to do, Fin. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"You're doing it. You're making sure Alex gets the best care and you're taking care of your kid."

"I feel like I should be with her more, but… I can't leave him."

Fin squeezed the hand he was holding. "Do you think Cabot would expect you to be anywhere else than with your kid right now? I know how she feels about you and that baby. You two mean the world to her. I've never seen a woman more in love with two people."

His words caused another batch of tears to gather in her eyes.

"I remember running into her a few months ago. I had a little down time after checking on a lead. Melinda's birthday was coming up so I decided to go into **_Tiffany's_** to see if anything caught my eye. Imagine my surprise when I saw Cabot there.

_"Hey Counselor, fancy seeing you hear."_

_Alex turned and smiled. "Hello Detective. What brings you here? Forgive me, but __**Tiffany's**__ doesn't really seem like your style."_

_"What? A black man can't appreciate fine jewelry?" Fin smirked._

_Alex quickly held up her hand. "Oh, that's not what I meant, Detective. I was just…"_

_Fin laughed and playfully hit her shoulder. "I'm just screwing with you Alex. You're right. I'm not much for this kind of bling."_

_Alex seemed relieved. She really was quite fond of Fin and would have hated offending him in any way. "So, I'm assuming you must be looking for something for a certain someone then… a very pretty medical examiner perhaps?" _

_Fin nodded. "Melinda's birthday is in a few weeks. I just thought I'd look around."_

_"How is that going by the way? You two looked very cozy the other night at O'Malley's."_

_Fin shrugged and scratched the back of his neck. "It's going pretty good. I'll admit that I've had a thing for her for a long time. Liv finally knocked some sense into me and made me ask her out. I was kind of surprised that she gave me a shot. She's not like the other women I've dated. She's a tough lady. She doesn't suffer fools if you know what I mean."_

_Alex laughed. "That's a good thing isn't it?"_

_"At this point in my life, it's a very good thing. What about you? You and Liv seem to be solid. Looks like you guys have an instant family now with the kid on the way. I never got a chance to tell you how awesome I thought it was how you two just walked into Cragen's party and owned it. That was tight."_

_"We didn't really plan it that way, but it worked." Alex smiled. "You know, I never really saw myself wanting a life like this, but now… it's all I want. Olivia and this baby are my life. It feels like I finally have a life now, you know what I mean?"_

_Fin nodded. "Yeah. It does feel pretty nice to have something outside of the job. Melinda gets along with my son really well and her daughter is a sweet kid. We're still getting to know one another but I could really see myself building something with her too."_

_"Good for you, Detective." She said squeezing his arm affectionately._

_"Yeah." He scratched the back of his neck again and glanced around the large store nervously. "Now if I had the slightest clue what to get her for her birthday, my life would be perfect. Melinda's style is more uptown than mine, you know?"_

_Alex narrowed her eyes for a moment. "How about I make you a deal, Detective?"_

_"A deal?"_

_Alex nodded. "I've been told that I'm a bit 'uptown' myself. I could help you pick out something lovely for Melinda if you wouldn't mind helping me with my purchase."_

_"Alex, I seriously doubt that you need my help. I've seen you dressed to the nines. You are 'Uptown' all the way. You probably have your own personal shopper here."_

_Alex nodded. "Possibly, but this purchase is very special and rather personal. It has to be perfect. There is no room for error with this because it's a forever kind of gift."_

_Fin looked at her with confusion for a moment, and then realization set in. "No shit?"_

_Alex laughed as a few of the sales people glanced in their direction. She loved how Fin was himself no matter who he was around. _

_"If you're talking about me proposing to a certain detective we both know, the answer would be yes. I wouldn't 'shit' about that." She said with a smirk._

_Fin grinned and bumped shoulders with her. "I told them. You have mad game for a white chic."_

_Alex laughed out loud again. She really did love Fin. "You can't say anything because I haven't decided when I'm going to ask her."_

_"My lips are sealed. I think that's great, Alex. I think you and Liv are perfect for each other."_

_Alex sighed and smiled happily. "I do to. What do you say we do a little shopping, Detective?"_

_"Let's do this."_

"You knew she was going to ask me to marry her and you never said anything?" Olivia was surprised.

Fin shrugged his shoulders. "I promised Cabot that I wouldn't. I wouldn't dare ruin that moment for her or you. You should have seen her, Liv. The look on her face when she found your ring… it was priceless. We ended up having lunch together afterwards. We spent an hour just catching up. No matter what we were talking about, the conversation somehow always ended back on you and that baby though. I could hardly believe it. The woman we used to call the _'Ice Princess'_ was gushing about you, baby clothes, and baby names. She couldn't have been prouder if she had been the father herself. So I have no doubt that she would not only _want_ you, but _expect _you to be here with your son… _her_ son. That's what real parents do. The kid always comes first. You'll see."

Olivia wiped her tears and smiled. "Thanks Fin."

He rubbed her hand affectionately. "Cabot is one of the two strongest women I've ever met. The other one is sitting right here. This is the one time I'm going to agree with John Munch's boney ass so listen up. Alex really is Teflon. That girl bounces back from anything. She's going to get better and she'll be back with you before you know it. Don't sell her short. She'd be pissed if she knew you were."

Olivia chuckled softly and nodded. "You're probably right about that. She can't stand being underestimated."

"We're all here for you guys, Liv. You remember that." He said standing up. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "I'm going to head down to ICU to check in on Teflon. I'll be back in a few with an update for you."

"Thank you, Fin."

"No problem, baby."

Shortly after Fin left, the nurse returned with baby Xander. It was time for his feeding. The nurse had again gushed over how gorgeous he was. When Olivia looked into his tiny face, she smiled. She knew she was completely biased, but Xander really was a beautiful baby. She could see Brian in his features as well. He was going to be quite the heartbreaker in the years to come.

Olivia had gotten word to Brian's handler the night before and sent a photo to the secure email address. She received a call from Brian in the early hours of the morning. He sounded every bit the proud father and she didn't have the heart to tell him about Alex. Hearing the tender tone in his voice when she told him the baby's name, Olivia had a feeling that Brian would end up being a much more present father than originally expected and she was actually surprised to find herself looking forward to it. She just prayed Alex would be there to even out their little family.

* * *

After checking in on Alex, Fin headed back to Olivia's room to give her the latest update. He was glad that the news was good this time. Alex's vitals had improved and the doctors thought she was getting better. Alex still wasn't awake which meant that it wasn't the best news he could give his friend, but at least it was something positive. He knew Olivia needed something… anything positive to hang onto right now. When he rounded the corner, he was in such a hurry to get to Olivia that he nearly collided with someone else.

"Stabler?"

"Hey Fin." Elliot said shoving his hands into his pockets.

Fin looked at him suspiciously. He looked a little rough around the edges; unshaven and clothes rumbled. "What brings you by?"

"I was just going to see Olivia. I heard she went into labor early. How's the baby?"

"The baby is fine. The kid is strong just like his mothers."

"His? She had a boy?" He asked with a hint of a smile.

"Yeah. His name is James Alexander. Liv calls him Xander."

An odd look crossed Elliot's face. It looked almost sad. Fin eyed him closely. He knew all about the little blow up he and Olivia had months ago. Olivia had confided in him while they were working on a case late into the night. She had told him some of the hurtful things Elliot had said about Alex and their relationship. Fin had listened to Olivia's words with sympathy and anger; sympathy for the woman he loved like a sister and anger at Elliot for being a complete jackass. He'd always thought Stabler was a rat bastard. He had even told him so to his face once, but he would have never thought the man would hurt Olivia. It was obvious even to him that Elliot was in love with her. He was sure that was the root cause for Elliot's behavior towards Olivia. Olivia had found someone to love and it wasn't him so he was pissed; case closed in Fin's opinion.

"Alexander huh? Cabot must be pleased about the name."

"I'm sure she will be when she wakes up."

Elliot smirked and shook his head. "What do you mean? Don't tell me that two days of motherhood has tired her out already?"

"You really are a piece of work, you know that?"

"What? It was a joke." Elliot said.

"A joke? Where the hell is your fucking head man? Look, I get that what happened that night at the precinct did something to you. We all get that. What I don't get is how you could just turn your back on your girl like that." Fin shook his head and moved to walk around him.

Elliot held out his hand and stopped him. He knew there was more to what Fin was saying. "What are you talking about, Fin?"

"If you would take your head out of your ass for one damn minute and think of someone other than yourself, you might actually know what's going on around here!"

"If you know so much, why don't you tell me then?"

"Alex was in a car accident you asshole! They don't know if she's gonna make it."

A cold chill ran through Elliot's body and he frowned. "What? When?!"

"You mean you're wife didn't tell you? I'm sure that's how you found out that Liv was pregnant and that she'd had the baby early. It's kind of fucked up how you have your wife keeping tabs on another woman for you."

"What? No… I haven't even seen Kathy in months… I…" Elliot said feeling completely out of the loop.

Fin blinked. "You haven't seen your own wife in months?"

Elliot sighed and rubbed his face. "Kathy and I split months ago. We talk briefly on the phone about the kids. I found out that Liv was pregnant from John. I saw him a couple of months back."

"And you're just now getting around to a visit?" Fin asked shaking his head.

"Hey, Liv could have called me!" Elliot threw back.

"Oh sure! I'm sure she just couldn't _wait_ to share that little bit of news with you after the last time you two talked… because you were so understanding and supportive of her and Cabot getting together."

Elliot was thrown a little. He hadn't expected Fin to know about that. He knew he had been a jerk that day. He had wanted to apologize to Olivia immediately, but he had been hurting over losing Kathy and at the thought of losing Olivia too. Everything had just come to a head and boiled over. Seeing Olivia so happy with Alex had forced him to accept that things had changed. Olivia had her own life and didn't need him anymore… at least in his mind. He didn't mean the things he said that day. He just couldn't deal and lashed out.

"Yeah. Liv told me what an ass you were, but hey that's nothing new when it comes to you is it?"

"I have to talk to Liv." Elliot started towards Olivia's room only to be stopped by Fin.

Fin stepped well into Elliot's personal space. "If you think for one second that you're going to walk into that room and upset that woman, you are sadly mistaken man. I don't give a rat's ass what's going on with you or your life. That woman lying in there is holding on by a thread because she's worried sick over the woman she loves while trying to deal with the fact that she might have to raise their child alone. This isn't about you, Stabler."

"Fin, you need to move out of my way. I need to talk to my partner."

"She's not your partner anymore." A voice came from behind them. "She hasn't been your partner in a long time."

Elliot turned around. He came face to face with Nick Amaro. Elliot immediately recognized him and took a step closer. Amaro's words had stung but they were true. Olivia wasn't his partner anymore. He wasn't even sure if they were friends anymore after the way he had behaved.

"You've known Liv for what, five minutes? You think that makes you her partner? We have twelve years between us."

"And even with all that history, you haven't been here when she needed you most. I think that says a lot about your so-called partnership."

"Now you look here…"

"Guys?" All three men stopped at the familiar voice. They turned and saw Olivia being wheeled out in a wheelchair. She was holding her baby. She nodded to the nurse "I'll be ready in just a few minutes. I just need to have a few words with these three gentlemen."

The nurse looked carefully between all of them but nodded none the less. She walked over to the nurse's station to wait.

"Liv…" Elliot started but Olivia held up her hand stopping him.

"I can't have you guys about to start a brawl in the hallway. The nurses and doctors here are already bending over backwards and breaking all kinds of rules for me. Please don't make this more difficult."

"I'm sorry, Liv. I just wanted to come by and see you. I didn't know about the accident. I swear." Elliot said softly

Olivia nodded. "I believe you, Elliot but you do have a tendency to always make things about you. Fin's right. This isn't about you."

"But Liv…"

She held up her hand again. "I'm not saying you aren't being genuine, Elliot. I believe you are, but I can't deal with all of that right now. My first priorities are this little guy and Alex. I don't have enough strength left to handle anything else at the moment."

Elliot took a step closer and looked down at the sleeping baby. His heart melted and he smiled slightly. "He's beautiful, Liv."

"Thanks." After a long pause, she cleared her throat. "Maybe when things calm down and... Alex is better, we can all sit down and talk… clear the air."

Elliot swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "I'd like that. I'd like that alot."

"But understand me, Elliot… I won't allow you to disrespect Alex again. She's the woman I'm going to marry and I won't have it."

He immediately nodded. "I know. I won't. It's my shit, not yours."

"You're right; it is." Olivia looked up at Fin. "Dr. Livingston came by and told me Alex's vitals had improved. I want to go see her again before his next feeding. Will you take me?"

"Sure."

With a quick nod, the nurse returned and took baby Xander back to the nursery while Fin wheeled Olivia to the elevator with Nick trailing behind. As the elevator door closed, Amaro and Fin took their positions standing guard on each side of Olivia. Elliot waited until the doors had closed then took a seat in the waiting area to gather his thoughts. He'd made a mess of things and had much to atone for. He bowed his head and said a prayer for Alex and hoped he'd have the chance to make amends with both of them.

* * *

It had been nearly four days since the accident and Alex still had not regained consciousness. The constant worry had taken a toll on all of them, especially Olivia. Although she could have already been discharged, Julia had arranged for Olivia and Xander to remain there for a few more days. She knew there was no way they would be able to get Olivia to leave that hospital with Alex still in such a fragile state.

"How long has she been sitting there?" Serena asked Liz. They were both staring through the small window of Alex's room. They could see Olivia sitting by the bed holding Alex's hand just staring off into space.

"Nearly two hours. She goes back and forth between Alexandra and the baby. Julia says she's not eating or sleeping much. I don't know how much more she will be able to withstand." Liz replied worriedly.

"I still can't believe any of this is happening. I had just spoken to Alex a couple of days before. Alex was so happy about this baby and her and Liv getting married. She finally had everything she had ever wanted and now…" Serena shook her head and wiped her tears.

Liz pulled the younger woman into a hug. She rubbed her back as she cried. "It's alright to cry, Serena. We know that you love Alexandra too. You two have been like sisters since you were children."

"She's my best friend, Liz. I honestly don't know what I would do without her in my life."

"I know. We just have to keep reminding Alexandra just how important she is to us all. Then we hope and pray that she keeps fighting to stay with us."

* * *

A couple of hours later, Olivia was still sitting by the bed with her head resting near Alex's hip. It was getting harder and harder to leave the sleeping blonde. Exhaustion had finally overtaken her and she'd fallen asleep. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she moaned at the gentle fingers stroking through her hair. She blinked… someone was stroking her hair. She slowly lifted her head, hoping and praying that she was not hallucinating. She wept when she saw the most beautiful blue eyes staring back at her.

"Oh my god… Alex?" Olivia's could barely see through the thick tears falling from her eyes. "You're awake!"

Alex was staring at her through drowsy eyes. Olivia's heart nearly stopped when Alex's eyes drifted closed. A few seconds later, they opened again and Alex appeared to be trying to speak. Her brow furrowed in confusion and the panic showed in her eyes.

"Shhh... hey don't try to talk. The tube was helping you breathe. Just take it easy while I get the doctor." Olivia said turning to leave.

She immediately felt Alex tighten the grip on her hand. She was shaking and the beeping heart monitor increased. Olivia looked down at the blonde and could see the fear in her eyes.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I promise I'm not going anywhere. I just need to let the doctor's know you're awake, okay?."

Alex seemed to calm and managed to nod. Olivia frantically glanced around and saw the call button above the bed. She quickly pushed it. It was a whirlwind of confusion after that as a team of nurses and doctors came storming inside. Olivia had watched anxiously as Alex coughed roughly while the tube was removed from her throat.

After a lengthy exam, a smiling Avery had sat with Olivia and eased her worries. Although Alex would have a long recovery ahead, she would indeed fully recover. She had responded to all the routine sensory checks and had responded to pain and sensation in her legs and arms. The news was enough to make Olivia weak in the knees with relief. She hadn't even allowed herself to think of what she would have done if Alex had woken up unable to move or hadn't woken up at all. That simply wasn't a possibility she had been willing to consider.

After being double-teamed by Liz Donnelly and Julia Harriman, Avery allowed Olivia to bring the baby down for a quick visit. It would be the first time, Alex would see their son. If that didn't lift her patient's spirits and encourage her to get better, nothing would. Alex had held off getting more pain meds so she would be awake long enough to see him. Although it was obvious that Alex was in nearly unbearable pain, she still managed to smile and hold out her hand to touch baby Xander's cheek. Olivia had grinned and introduced them.

"I'd like you to meet your son, James Alexander Benson-Cabot. I think he takes after his mother with this need to be early for everything."

Alex's throat was still scratchy and sore from the ventilator that had been taken out earlier and she was nearly out of breath. "Benson-Cabot?"

"You _did_ ask me to marry you, you know? Don't think a little accident is going to get you out of making an honest woman out of me, Counselor."

"Wouldn't…. dream of… it." She kept her eyes on Xander in complete wonder. "He's…. so beautiful."

"He is pretty handsome, isn't he? I'm afraid we might have our hands full in a few years."

"I… can't wait." Alex said softly before drifting off again.

Olivia allowed the tears in her eyes to fall. She looked down at her son and gently kissed his head while still holding Alex's hand. "She came back to us, Xander. I told you. Your Mama always keeps her promises."

TBC...

* * *

Coming Soon: The Long Road Back


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Here's the next installment. There are only a couple more chapters left. Thank you guys for sticking with the story. Like always, let me know your thoughts.

* * *

Chapter 32: The Long Road Back

Two days later, Olivia was faced with yet another dilemma. She and baby Xander were being released, but Alex was nowhere near well enough to go home. This meant she would have to leave Alex behind at the hospital. This was not the way she had pictured bringing her son home for the first time. The idea of Alex being at the hospital alone while she and Xander were home was nearly too much to bear.

It had been decided, meaning _Alex_ dictated that Julia would move in with them for a while. Olivia was going to need help taking care of Xander the first couple of weeks, not to mention the care Alex would require once she was finally released. There was no way Olivia would be able to handle everything on her own. Olivia had originally agreed to the suggestion the day before. Today was a different story. Olivia was showing the obstinate side they all knew and loved by refusing to leave without Alex. Julia, Liz, and even Fin had all tried reasoning with her but to no avail. Julia had finally given up. She knew there was only _one_ person with enough influence on the tough detective to make her see reason. She was calling in the big guns. She just hoped she'd be up to the task in her weakened state.

"We talked about this, Liv. I want you to take him home." Alex said barely above a whisper.

"Technically, _we_ didn't talk about this. _You_ decided for us." Olivia countered which made Alex's lips quirk into a near smile. Olivia was getting better at arguing with her.

"It's the best option we have. You know this."

"But you're here." Olivia said in a small voice.

"I know and from the looks of things, I am going to be here for a while longer."

"Christmas is next week." The idea of Alex missing Xander's first Christmas nearly broke both their hearts.

"I know and I don't want my son to spend his first Christmas in a hospital when he could be at home in front of our tree or in the nursery we made just for him. He's over a week old and he hasn't seen his home yet. I want you to take him home, Olivia."

Olivia opened her mouth to object when Alex continued.

"_And_ I want you to stay home _with_ him."

Olivia looked pissed. No, she looked furious. Julia and Liz both took a step back. This looked like World War III in the making.

"Alex…"

"Don't _Alex_ me. You take my son home and you take care of him." Alex demanded. She paused to catch her breath. She had refused her last dose of pain meds so she could be alert enough to have this conversation/argument with Olivia and it was taking a toll on her.

"I can't leave you here."

"If the shoe were on the other foot, you'd tell me the same thing. You know you would so don't deny it."

Olivia clenched her teeth in frustration. She hated when Alex was all _rational_. "I don't like leaving you here. I almost lost you here. Don't you understand that?"

Alex saw the tears pooling in her detective's eyes. She glanced over at her aunt and god-mother and gave them a nod. They quickly stepped out of the room. Alex squeezed her hand.

"Of course I do, honey. I know all of this was scary. It was scary for me and I slept through most of it. I can't even begin to imagine what you must have been going through."

"I was so scared. I've never been that scared in my life." Olivia admitted.

"I know, but the fact that you held everything together and stayed so strong only proves to me that you really are the strongest person I know. I just need you to be strong one more time. I need you to do this for me. I need you to go home and let Aunt Julia take care of you and Xander. You need to rest too, Liv. You won't be able to do that here."

"I don't like it." Olivia said crossing her arms.

"Do you think I like this? I want nothing more than to be able to _walk_ out of here with you this afternoon. I want to be able to curl up in our bed while our son sleeps between us." A few tears escaped her eyes. Olivia reached out and wiped them away. "I want to be with you on Christmas morning, but that might not happen. All of this is out of my control and I am so _fucking_ pissed about that!"

Olivia chuckled a little. She knew better than anyone how much Alex hated not being in control of something.

"So please, let me control _something_. Do this for me and go home. Aunt Julia will be able to stay with Xander for a couple of hours a day so you can still come here for a visit if you want. Who knows? I might even get out of here in time for Christmas."

"You'll be all alone." Olivia countered.

"I won't be alone. Now that I'm in this lovely private room, Serena will be able to stay here with me, remember?"

Olivia remembered. She just didn't like it. "I can't win arguments with you. It's not fair and I hate it."

"I know. I thank God for small favors every day."

"I thank God for you every day." Olivia whispered kissing her hand.

Alex smiled and nodded. "Me too."

"Okay. I'll go. I'll be back tomorrow but I'm going to want to talk to you every hour when I'm not here."

Alex laughed softly then groaned. Laughing was not good right now. "Every hour might be a bit extreme, don't you think? The pain killers have me sleeping most of the day."

"Every hour, Cabot… even if it's just to hear you snore. That's the deal or Xander and I camp out here with you."

Alex nodded. "Alright. Every hour. I'll make sure Serena wipes the drool away and puts the phone up to my mouth."

"You do that." She leaned down and caressed Alex's face gently. "I love you so much. You know that don't you?"

"Of course I do. I love you too."

There was a soft tap at the door and Julia came inside followed by Serena, Fin, and Liz. "Detective Tutuola and Elizabeth are going to help you down to the car now, Olivia. Serena is here to keep Alexandra company."

Olivia gave Alex one last kiss before Fin started wheeling her away. "Every hour, Cabot."

"Every hour, babe."

* * *

Serena quickly realized calling every hour wasn't going to cut it for these two. Alex was a sulking mess as soon as Olivia and Xander had left the hospital. She had remained strong for Olivia because she knew the brunette would have never left otherwise. Now that she was alone, Alex had actually cried on her best friend's shoulder because she was without Olivia and unable to see her new son. Witnessing her friend's heartbreak sent Serena into immediate action. She made a quick call to her assistant and a couple of hours later, she had two new IPads with Skype installed on both. She had Fin drop the second IPad off at the apartment to Olivia. Serena figured being able to see one another might alleviate some of the stress of being apart. It seemed to be working too. Olivia's constant phone calls had stopped and Alex was no longer biting everyone's head off when she was awake, which was a relief. Whenever Olivia would Skype in, Serena would grin because Alex's eyes would light up like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Hi Mama. How are you today?" Olivia said in a playful voice looking into the IPad screen.

Alex smiled and nearly cried as she watched the image on the screen. Xander was awake and showing off his beautiful blue eyes. Although Alex knew better, it looked as if he was looking directly at her.

She touched the screen gently. "Hi baby… both of my babies. I miss you guys so much."

"We miss you too. We're getting ready for our afternoon nap and wanted to say hi."

"I'm glad you did. I'm about to have my afternoon therapy." Alex frowned. "They said they're getting me up and about today. I'll have to let you know how that goes, but I have a feeling it's going to be painful."

Olivia looked worried. "Are they sure you're ready for that. It's only been a few of days. Maybe I should come back over there."

"No, you shouldn't. Apparently, the sooner the better when it comes to therapy. The sooner I start moving this leg, the sooner I get to come home. That's incentive enough for me."

"Just… Just be careful. I worry about you." Olivia said biting her lip.

Alex gave her a lazy smile. "I know you do, sweetheart. Try not to worry. Melinda came by for a visit and she's staying to make sure everything is on the up and up with my therapy." Alex turned the IPad to show Melinda sitting in a nearby chair talking to Serena.

Olivia felt a little better. She waved and Melinda waved back. "Okay, but please be careful. I don't care how many doctors are in the room; you're still my responsibility…. No offense, Melinda."

"None taken, Liv." Melinda bodiless voice said.

Alex smiled. "You got it, Detective. Now let me see my son again before I have to go."

Olivia laughed as she put Xander back on the screen. He was sleeping now and he looked angelic. Alex grinned from ear to ear as she touched the screen. "I love you, Liv. Give my little man a kiss for me."

"I love you too, babe. Let me know how it goes."

"Will do."

Alex hit the home button and placed the IPad to the side. She took a deep breath and looked at Melinda and the physical therapist that had entered the room. "Alright Doc, let's get this therapy started. I got a kid at home that needs me."

* * *

"Is that the physical therapist out in the hallway pacing and talking to himself?" Olivia asked as she made her way into Alex's hospital room.

Serena was sitting on the small sofa by the window flipping through a magazine. She looked up and nodded. Olivia noticed her tense expression. "Alex made him cry again. This time she used some rather colorful foul words in several different languages. I don't think he's ever heard words like that; neither have I and I've lived with Abbie Carmichael for five years. So gird your loins with Miss Congeniality over there."

Olivia turned her attention to the other blonde in the room. Alex was sitting on the side of the bed with her head down panting slightly. A heavy sheen of sweat was covering her forehead and her beloved Red Sox t-shirt and bottoms were nearly soaked. Olivia could tell she was exhausted. She approached her fiancé carefully.

"Hey, sweetie. How are you feeling?"

"You did not just ask me that." Alex snapped.

Olivia swallowed hard. This was the fourth day she'd come to visit Alex to find a PT running for the hills and Alex in a foul mood. It always took the blonde at least an hour to return to her usual loving self.

"Alex, you can't keep making the physical therapist cry. Avery called me yesterday and told me that half of the guys in that department are refusing to come and work with you."

"I'm in pain, Olivia. I'm in _pain_ and they won't _listen_ to me."

"I understand that, sweetheart but the therapist are just trying to help you. You heard Avery the other day."

"If you say one more _fucking_ thing about _fucking_ _Avery_ Livingston, I just might lose it! Since when did you get so chummy with the _fucking_ doctor anyway?! Her name is _Doctor_ Livingston, not just _Avery_!" Alex voice boomed within the room.

Olivia calmly took a breath. She glanced at Serena and gave her a discrete nod, silently asking for the room. Once they were alone, Olivia turned and faced the fuming blonde.

"You don't get to speak to me like that… ever. _My_ Alex doesn't talk to me that way. Yes, Avery is your doctor, but she is also my _friend_. She's the same woman that saved _your_ life just in case you forgot. If for no other reason, I will _forever_ be indebted to her for that fact."

"She's too pretty to be a doctor. Doctors aren't supposed to look like models." Alex said in a quiet voice.

Olivia smiled sadly knowing what the issue was now. Alex was feeling insecure, which was something that rarely happened to Alexandra Cabot. "And she doesn't hold a candle to you." She said moving into Alex's space. She caressed her red blotchy cheek.

"Look at me, Olivia. I have these scars and bruises all over, not to mention this!" She said pointing at the broken leg encased in a cast.

Olivia nodded. "I am looking at you and what I see is so incredibly beautiful. Don't you get it?" She held Alex's face in her hands and looked into her eyes. "Just the fact that I _can_ look at you right now is _so amazing_. I've never seen a more gorgeous sight."

"I'm sorry." A tear escaped Alex's eye and she sniffed. "I'm sorry for being a bitch to you. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You've been through a terrible ordeal and you're still reeling from it. I understand that. We all do, but baby you have to keep working at this. They aren't letting you out of here until you're able to be mobile on your own. Don't you want to come home to me and Xander?"

Alex looked up and glared at her. The look was so intense that Olivia almost took a step back. "You're using my son against me, Liv. That is low."

Olivia laughed softly when she saw Alex crack a small smile. "I will use every underhanded tactic that I know to get you home. I won't apologize for that."

Alex sighed and lowered her head. Olivia could see the tears of pain and frustration there. It nearly broke her heart to see Alex this way. The Alex she knew had always been so powerful and larger than life. Olivia sat down next to Alex and took her hand. She ran her fingers over the scratches that marred the pale skin. "Talk to me."

"I'm tired and everything hurts."

"I know it does."

"I _am_ trying though, Liv."

"I know you are, baby."

"I want to come home."

"Then you know what you need to do."

Alex stared down at the floor in silence for a long time. "You can send the PT back in. I'll finish the session."

"And?"

"I said I'd finish the exercises. What more do you want?" Alex nearly whined.

Olivia raised a brow.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll apologize to him."

"And?"

Alex ground her teeth. "Serena too."

"Good girl." Olivia kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back."

Olivia stepped out into the hallway and saw the PT talking quietly with Serena in the corner. She approached him sheepishly. "Miss Cabot is ready to resume her therapy if you are still willing. She also has something to say to you." She glanced at Serena. "You too."

The young man looked a little spooked. Olivia touched his arm and smiled reassuringly. "She wants to apologize. She's in pain and cranky, but that's no excuse for bad behavior. She knows that."

The PT squared his shoulders and slowly entered the room. Olivia and Serena held their breaths as he disappeared behind the closed-door. When they didn't hear any yelling or crying, they both relaxed a little.

"You think it was safe to send him back in there? I've known her for years and even I wanted to run for the border." Serena said with a laugh.

"Yeah. She agreed to apologize for being rude to him and finish the session. You can expect an apology as well."

Serena chuckled and shook her head. "You're probably the only person on the planet with that kind of influence over Alex Cabot. You have her wrapped around your little finger, Detective."

"No. It's the other way around. I've been wrapped around her finger since the moment I laid eyes on her."

Forty-five minutes later, the young physical therapist exited the room and he didn't seem too worse for wear. He gave Olivia an update stating that Alex had made great progress and that he'd return tomorrow at the same time. He smiled and thanked Olivia for whatever she had said to Alex. Apparently, she had apologized profusely and had been the model patient once they had resumed their session.

Olivia tapped softly on the door before entering. "Hey, you up for some company?"

Alex was again sitting on the side of the bed with her head down. "Only you. I don't want to see anybody else right now." She said tiredly.

"Fair enough." Olivia sat down in the chair next to the bed. "The therapist said you made progress. That's good news, baby."

Alex still looked miserable. "Not enough to make it home by Christmas."

"You don't know that. That's still three days away."

"We have to wait to see what '_Avery_' says." Alex said in a mocking tone as she rolled her eyes.

Olivia almost laughed. "What is your deal with Avery Livingston? She's an excellent doctor. She's been wonderful with you."

Alex shrugged her shoulders. "I think she likes you."

"I hope she does since she's my _friend_."

"You know what I mean, Liv."

"I do and you couldn't be more wrong. She's just a nice person. If you'd stop _glaring_ at her when she examines you and actually _talked_ to her, you'd be able to see that too."

"Whatever. The only thing I want to talk about is going home. If she tells me that then maybe we can be best _friends_."

Olivia chuckled and shook her head. "We'll just have to wait and see then won't we. Now, how about I help you get cleaned up. I love the sweaty look on you, but I'm not sure everyone else will."

"You don't have to get back to Xander?"

"Your Aunt Julia and Liz are with him now and I pumped enough milk to cover his next couple of feedings so I have a little time. So how about a sponge bath?"

A slow smile appeared on Alex's face for the first time today. "Really?"

"Yeah. I checked with the nurses during your PT session and they said it would be okay if I did it. Apparently, you've scared them too. So, what do you think about letting me be your nurse for a little while? I promise to handle you with _extra_ care."

"Hello nurse." Alex said with a full-blown smile.

"Now, that's _my_ Alex." Olivia said placing a kiss on soft lips.

TBC...

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Coming up: Christmas Miracles


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: There is just one last chapter after this and the epilogue. Thank you to the faithful few that stuck with this story. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

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Chapter 33: Doctor's Orders

"Hello Miss Cabot. How are we feeling today?" Dr. Avery Livingston asked as she flipped through Alex's chart.

Alex gave her a piercing look. "Why do all doctors say that?"

"Say what?"

"We? How are _we_ doing?" Alex repeated in a snarky tone. "It's a little strange, don't you think?"

Avery flashed a perfect Colgate smile, complete with dimples. It only made her more attractive which annoyed Alex to no end.

"I never really thought about it, but I suppose you're right. Would it make you more comfortable if I said _you_ instead?"

"Yes. I believe it would."

"Alright then. How are _you_ feeling today, Miss Cabot?"

"Better than yesterday." Alex said coolly.

Avery made a few notes in the chart then started the physical examination. "I apologize in advance if my hands are cold."

Alex lay unmoving as Avery examined her upper body and checked her vitals. "How are your ribs? Any difficulty breathing?"

"Taking deep breaths isn't the best idea, but I can breathe."

Avery ignored the sarcastic remark and made another note in the chart before putting her stethoscope on and listening to Alex's breathing.

"Your lungs sound good. How is your head? Looks like your stitches are healing really well." She said as she checked the tiny row of stitches along Alex's hairline. "Any headaches or dizziness from the concussion?"

"Not really."

"Okay. What about your surgical incisions… any burning sensation on or around the staples?"

"No. It just aches a bit if I move wrong."

This time Avery simply nodded. "Good. Your incisions are healing very well. The staples will be able to come out soon. How does your back feel?"

"Just a little sore."

"Has anyone from Ortho been in to speak with you about the fracture in your leg?"

"A Dr. Ramono came by yesterday and explained what they did in the surgery and what to expect the next few months."

"Are there any other concerns you'd like to discuss with me then?"

"I'd like to discuss the possibility of going home to my family. Is that a concern you're willing to discuss, _Dr. Livingston_?" Alex said in an icy tone.

Avery grinned and shook her head. "Wow. You _really_ don't like me, do you?"

Alex narrowed her eyes. She hadn't expected the doctor to call her out. "You saved my life, what's not to like?" She responded evenly.

Serena was sitting across the room watching the interaction with interest. She let out a soft giggle drawing Alex and the doctor's attention. "Don't mind me. I'm just watching the _Alexandra Cabot Pity Show_. It's on every day around this time. It might even be in syndication."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Excuse my best friend. She has mental issues."

Avery turned her full attention to the other blonde in the room. By this time, Serena had stood and approached the bed. She and Avery shared a warm smile. Avery finally shook her head and cleared her throat. She held out her hand. "Avery Livingston. It's nice to meet you."

"Serena Southerlyn. I'm Miss Congeniality's best friend. I'm glad we finally managed to cross paths. I've heard a lot about you."

Alex glanced back and forth between the two women and narrowed her eyes. Was there anyone this doctor couldn't charm? It made her dislike Avery Livingston even more.

Serena glanced at her watch. "Oh, I need to make a quick phone call to Abbie to update her on how you're doing. I'll let you two finish up." She gave the doctor a quick smile as she left. "It was nice meeting you, Dr. Livingston."

"You as well."

Once they were alone, Avery turned back to her patient and bit her lip. "I know you don't really like me and that's fine. I just hope I didn't do anything to offend you in some way."

"No. It's not you; it's me." Alex sighed.

"The old… it's not you, it's me line. I didn't know you cared enough to let me down so easy, Miss Cabot." Avery quipped causing Alex to smile a little in spite of herself.

"I've just been feeling sorry for myself and taking that out on everyone. You were an easy target. Not to mention, you're pretty and Liv likes you…" She trailed off shrugging her shoulders.

"You want to know the real reason I became friends with your fiancé?"

"Olivia is wonderful. It's hard not to like her."

Avery nodded. "She is that, but… she also happens to be the reason I'm standing here today." Avery paused and tilted her head. "Your fiancé saved my life, Miss Cabot."

Alex blinked and gave the doctor her full attention. "Saved your life?"

"I was a mess after my partner, Danny, died. It was a couple of weeks after her funeral. I wasn't coping too well. To be truthful, I wasn't coping at all. After a particularly difficult day, I found some pain killers left over from an old sports injury. I saw them in the medicine cabinet and it was like I finally had a way out… a way to stop the hurt. I went out and bought the largest bottle of vodka I could find, came home, and commenced to drinking myself into a stupor. Once I was drunk enough, I started taking the pills. It seemed like a good idea at the time; it stopped the constant aching I was feeling. I had just downed the last few when Olivia showed up at my apartment to check up on me. I heard her at the door, but by that point I was nearly in a drug induced coma. I couldn't move. Hell, I could barely breathe. By the grace of god, Olivia had a feeling that something was wrong and kicked the door in. She found me passed out on my bathroom floor. She got me up and to an ER just in time. Knowing that I was a physician and something like that could have ruined my entire career, she had me admitted under a fake name and somehow kept the whole incident quiet. When I woke up the next morning feeling like death warmed over, Olivia was sitting by my bed… holding a card with the name of a professional grief counselor on it in one hand… and her cell phone in the other. She gave me a choice; either go to grief counseling or she'd make a call to the medical board and turn me in." Avery paused and chuckled. "She said I had a choice, but we both knew I didn't. She had already called and made the first appointment with the counselor for me. She even went with me the first couple of times until I felt strong enough to go on my own. If it wasn't for Olivia Benson, I'd be dead right now."

Alex said in shock. "Oh my god; I had no idea."

"No one does. Olivia kept her word and she never told a soul. She told me that she understood what it felt like to lose the person you love more than anything. She said that her old partner had done the same for her once and she was just returning the favor." Avery met Alex's blue eyes and smiled warmly. "_That's_ why I'm friends with Olivia Benson. Trust me when I say that I am _not_ a threat. That woman happens to adore you."

"Thank you." Alex said softly suddenly feeling guilty.

"No problem." Avery said turning to leave. Alex reached out and tugged on the sleeve of the doctor's white coat, pulling her back around.

"No… really… thank you for _everything_. You saved my life and gave me a second chance with Olivia and our family. I owe you… so much. I'm sorry for what you had to go through and I apologize for being rude." Alex said with sincerity.

Avery faced her fully. "There's nothing to be sorry about and you owe me nothing, Miss Cabot. This is what I do, but you are quite welcome."

"You should call me, Alex." She said holding out her hand. "Any friend of Olivia's is a friend of mine and I have a feeling… you and I are going to be seeing a lot of each other in the future."

"Very well, Alex. In that case, you can call me Avery as well." Avery said shaking her hand. She smiled mischievously. "I think I just might have some good news for you now that you're done biting my head off."

"Really? Do I get more of that wonderful solid lush you all call food around this place?" Alex said with a playful smirk.

Avery laughed. She really did find Alex's sardonic wit amusing. "Actually no. How would you feel about having breakfast at home tomorrow?"

Alex frowned. "What?"

"Let me rephrase that. How would you feel about being released tomorrow morning?"

Alex's eyes widened with hope. "Really?"

Avery nodded. "You've made significant progress the past week and I don't see any reason why you can't continue to recuperate at home with your family." She held up a finger in warning and spoke with authority. "As long as you _promise_ to follow my orders to the letter and take it easy that is."

Alex nodded like a child. "I promise. I'll do whatever you say."

Avery nearly laughed at her sudden enthusiasm. "Well, I see no reason why you can't go home then."

"Avery Livingston, I think you just became my new best friend." Alex grinned with a twinkle in her eyes.

Avery just laughed and shook her head. "Now, why do I have the feeling I should be worried?"

Alex let out a happy giggle. "Oh, you're going to love being friends with me, Doc. Just you wait and see."

TBC...

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This wasn't originally in the story, but a comment in the review section gave me this idea, so thank you Bkwrmchar for the inspiration.

Last Chapter... Christmas Miracles (For real this time)


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: Well guys, this is the last chapter. I truly appreciate all who took the time to, not only read, but review and express your opinions. I hope you enjoyed the story. There will be an epilogue after this chapter just to wrap a few things up. Again... thanks for reading.

* * *

Chapter 34: "I'll Be Home For Christmas"

Olivia was still sound asleep when she heard sounds coming from downstairs. Julia had been coming over every morning to make breakfast and help out with the baby. She glanced at the clock and realized that she had slept past eight for the first time in days and for more than a couple of hours at a time. Xander had finally fallen asleep around one am and had actually slept through most of the night. She looked in the bassinette next to the bed and saw him still asleep.

Turning the baby monitor up, she took a quick shower then found a pair of jeans and one of Alex's old Harvard sweatshirts and threw them on. The hoodie still held a hint of Alex's scent on it which made her feel just a little closer to her beloved fiancé. She managed to finish brushing her teeth just in time to hear Xander's high pitched cry. She walked out of the bathroom and lifted him from the bassinette and kissed his head.

"Someone must be ready for breakfast. Ooh and you're a little wet too. What do you say we get you changed and after breakfast maybe we can Skype your Mama and see how she's doing today? We might even be able to talk Dr. Avery into letting me bring you to visit her for Christmas in the morning. Would you like that?"

Xander made a cooing sound and Olivia took that as his answer. A quick diaper change and they were off downstairs to start their day. Olivia could hear someone moving around in the kitchen.

"Julia, I thought I told you that you didn't have to come by today. It's Christmas Eve. You should be with Bill and the rest of your family."

"Nonsense! I already told you that you _are_ family and under no circumstance will you be spending Christmas Eve alone." Julia walked up to the staircase and smiled brightly as Olivia and the baby descended. "Besides, I have someone with me today. This particular family member just couldn't wait to come by to see you and little Xander. She's a demanding little thing."

Olivia bit her lip to keep from frowning. She wasn't really up for any visitors just yet even if it was someone from Alex's family. As she and Julia rounded the corner, Olivia nearly passed out at the sight before her. There sitting patiently on the sofa was Alex in the flesh.

Bill was placing a wheel chair behind the sofa while Julia went over and propped Alex's leg up on a few throw pillows. Olivia just stood there blinking, sure that her eyes were deceiving her.

"I'll put the spare crutches away in the guest room. I assume you're going to be staying there until you're a bit more mobile." Bill said.

Alex nodded, but never took her eyes off Olivia and her son. "Thanks Uncle Bill. That's fine." She flashed Olivia a watery smile. "Hey honey. I'm home."

Olivia's eyes filled with tears as she crossed the room and carefully sat down. She wanted to grab Alex and hold on forever, but was afraid to hurt her. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment as Alex reached over and caressed her cheek.

"Hi." She whispered as she leaned in for a soft kiss. "What are you doing here? You're not on the lam are you?"

Alex laughed softly and rested her forehead against Olivia's. "No. My _fabulous_ doctor thought I was doing well enough to come home and released me this morning."

"Fabulous huh?" Olivia asked with a knowing smirk. Alex just shrugged her shoulders. "Why didn't you call me? I would have picked you up."

"I know you haven't been sleeping much and Aunt Julia and Uncle Bill were more than happy to bring me home. Besides, I kind of wanted to surprise you."

"Oh you are the best surprise ever, baby. I can't believe you're really here." Olivia said leaning in to kiss her again when Xander decided to break the moment by letting out a loud wail. They both looked down at him and laughed.

"Someone hasn't had his breakfast yet. You want to hold your son while I go heat up his bottle?"

Alex couldn't seem to make her voice work. She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying her best not to cry. This would be the first time she had really been able to hold her son on her own. "I'd really like that."

Olivia carefully placed the fussy baby in Alex's arms and watched in amazement as he instantly calmed and latched on to Alex's pinky. "Hi there little man. I'm your Mama." She sniffed and wiped a stray tear away. "I have been waiting for so long to hold you. You and I have so much catching up to do."

Olivia stood and headed to the kitchen, giving Alex a moment alone. She stood next to Julia as they watched the tender moment between mother and son. Bill was across the room discretely taking a few snap shots of the moment.

"I can't believe she's finally home." Olivia whispered.

Julia could only nod. This had been an emotional rollercoaster for them all. She cleared her throat. "I've noticed that you are running low on a few things so Bill and I are going to go out and do some grocery shopping and give you two some much-needed time alone. We will be back in a few hours to help get everything settled in the guest room. I know Alexandra will want to be near you and the baby."

Olivia smacked her forehead. "Oh God, I hadn't even thought about that. She can't go up and down the stairs."

Julia chuckled. "Don't worry about it, dear. You've both been through quite an ordeal. I'm sure you've had a lot on your mind lately. Besides, we have it all in hand. Those lovely detective friends of yours, Mr. Tutuola and Mr. Amaro, said that they will be coming by later to move the office furniture and set up your bed and crib in the guest room down the hall."

Olivia felt herself tearing up for what felt like the hundredth . "Everyone has been so wonderful. I don't know what we would have done without any of you."

Julia smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist. "We're family, dear. You'll never have to worry about that."

* * *

Later that evening, Olivia and Alex had a quiet dinner alone while the baby slept in the bassinette across the room. Afterwards, Olivia began picking up the clutter that had piled up around the apartment while Alex sat on the sofa holding Xander. Olivia knew it was probably best to let him rest in his crib, but she also knew Alex had missed so much of his life in the past couple of weeks. She wouldn't dare attempt to interrupt their time together. Taking a quick glance at the two loves of her life, she went back to cleaning. She wanted to finish everything up so she could help Alex shower and put the blonde to bed soon. It had gotten fairly late and although Alex had napped throughout the day, Olivia could tell that she was still exhausted.

She glanced around the now pristine kitchen and nodded at the job she'd done before switching off the lights. When she stepped into the living room, she was met with such a heartwarming sight that she nearly wept. The lights were turned down low and the twinkling lights of the 59th Street Bridge bathed the room with an ethereal glow. Alex was sitting on the sofa with their son in her arms having what looked like a serious conversation. Olivia simply stood there and watched.

"I'm really sorry that I missed your birthday, Xander. Let's just say that I was uncharacteristically delayed by traffic. I was really trying to get there, but apparently fate had other plans for me." Alex paused and gently ran a finger over his tiny cheek. Xander wiggled and made a cooing sound. "My father… your grandfather… He used to always tell me that everything happens for a reason. We might not always understand it at the time, but there is a reason for everything. I'm not really sure why all of this happened, but I do know that it's made me appreciate every single moment even more than before. So, I'm going to make you a promise right now. I promise that I will always be there for you from this moment on. You are the most important person in my life; you and your Mommy." Alex smiled softly as his tiny blue eyes blinked at her. "Speaking of your Mommy; she is _so_ amazing. You are such a lucky little boy to have her as your mommy. Did you know that she's a First Grade NYPD Detective? She is and she's really good at it too; one of the best that I've ever seen." Alex lowered her voice to a whisper. "Don't tell her, but she used to make me extremely nervous. That was when we first met and I had this incredibly embarrassing crush on her. I'll have to tell you all about that later. It's a really long story with lots of twists and turns. It was like we just kept missing our chance to be together, but… I think we might have finally gotten it right this time around. Anyway, as I said, she used to make me nervous, but not anymore. I'm just in awe of her now. I'm in awe that she actually chose me. I guess that makes us _both_ very lucky doesn't it?" She paused again and glanced at the lights of the city in the distance. "I can't believe that you're really mine… _my_ son. You know, I might be biased but I think you might be the most handsome baby boy on the planet. Just think, you could become a lawyer then you and I could go into practice together. Your good looks, intelligence, and obvious charm combined with my connections… you and I could take over this entire city."

"Why stop there? Why not take over the whole world?" Olivia said finally making herself known. She had discretely wiped the tears away from her eyes as she listed to the love of her life talking to their son.

Alex blushed slightly knowing Olivia had heard her little speech. "You shouldn't eavesdrop. My son and I were bonding."

"I can see that. You seem to already have him wrapped around your finger. I guess he takes after me in that respect." Olivia said before placing a soft kiss on Alex's lips. She then leaned in and placed a kiss on her son's head.

They both sat in silence for a long time, just enjoying being together as a family. Finally, Alex broke the tension with a soft laugh. Olivia looked at her oddly.

Alex tilted her head towards the clock. It was a few minutes after midnight. "Merry Christmas, Liv."

"Merry Christmas to you too." Olivia smiled then shook her head. "This isn't really how I thought we'd spend out first Christmas together, but we've never done anything the easy way, have we?"

Alex chuckled and shook her head. "No we haven't."

"It's still pretty amazing though." Olivia said tucking a loose lock of hair behind Alex's ear. "I'm just happy to have you home."

"I'm glad to be home."

They both looked down at Xander who let out a long yawn. "He's so beautiful, Olivia. I can't take my eyes off him. Is this how you felt when he was born?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah. When I saw him for the first time, I finally understood the true meaning of love at first sight. He looked up at me with those big blue eyes and it was like we had known one another forever."

Alex kissed her son's sleeping head. "I know what you mean. I know I can't, but I just want to hold him like this forever."

Olivia watched her fiancé in silence for a moment. "You know… it's officially Christmas Day now. Would you like to open one of your presents?"

Alex shrugged her shoulders. "Sure."

"You're going to have to put him down for a second." Olivia said with a smile.

Alex pretended to think it over. "Well… I guess, but just for a second."

Olivia went over to the tree and picked up a beautifully wrapped medium-sized box. She placed it next to Alex before gently taking their sleeping son and placing him in the bassinette. Alex lifted the box and shook it for good measure. Olivia rolled her eyes playfully and told her to just open it.

Alex tore the bright red wrapping paper away and lifted the lid only to find a smaller box inside. She opened the smaller box to find yet another box. Three smaller boxes later and a lot of laughter, Alex finally lifted a small square, velvet box with the Cartier icon on it. She gave Olivia a knowing look. Olivia took the box and slowly opened the lid. Alex gasped when she caught a glimpse of a beautiful Cushion Cut Sapphire surrounded with a micro pavé diamond setting in a platinum band. It was simply exquisite.

Olivia cleared her throat. "I wanted the shade to be the same color as your eyes. I think its pretty close."

"Oh, Liv… it's… it's beautiful."

"It doesn't hold a candle to you." She took Alex's hand, slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her palm. "I know you already beat me to this, but there's always been this tiny part of me that hoped I'd be the one to pop the question if I ever had the chance. To be honest, never in my wildest dreams did I _ever_ believe it would ever actually happen. You were this impossible dream… a fantasy really. How often does a person get to say that their fairytale came true? But I can. I get to say that and I get to wake up with the person I dreamed of for so long and it's even better than I could have ever imagined. Love has never been an easy emotion for me to express; you know that. I just always thought there was something wrong with me because of my past. But with you it's always been different… effortless even." She smiled softly and took a breath. "I know I'm not the easiest person to love and being with me means putting up with a lot, but I know without a doubt that you are the person I'm supposed to love and spend the rest of my life with. I guess you fixed me… because I can honestly say that I love you beyond my heart, Alex. I love you from my soul. I just wanted you to know that."

Alex hadn't bothered to try to wipe her tears away. She simply smiled through them as she leaned in and kissed Olivia. She pulled back and caressed her beloved's face. "You are so wonderful, but there were two obvious fallacies in that beautiful speech."

Olivia laughed. It was just like Alex to point out a false statement, even in the middle of a declaration of love. "Oh really, Counselor?"

"Yes. There was never anything to fix and you are… by far the easiest person to love…" Alex whispered as she pulled Olivia close and kissed her soundly. "… and I'm going to love you for the rest of my life."

The End… Epilogue to come


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I am still considering a sequel to this story. If you have ideas, I'd love to hear them.

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**Epilogue: 1 Year Later**

"Liv, someone's at the door. Can you get that?"

Olivia could hear Alex's bodiless voice floating through the baby monitor sitting on the living room table as she came down the hall.

"I got it babe." Olivia called back.

As she made her way through the living room, she glanced around the spacious penthouse and noticed how different it looked today. A year ago, the apartment looked like something out of a design magazine; everything was in its place and spotless. Not anymore. Now, there were a few traces of baby toys, stuffed animals, and baby books lying here and there.

Evidence of how their lives had merged and changed in the last year could be seen in every room. By the front door, Olivia's leather jacket was hanging on the coat rack next to Zander's tiny snow-suit and Alex's camel colored overcoat. What used to be Alex's study was now "their" office. Olivia's many commendations, Criminal Justice degree, and certificate for her latest promotion to Sergeant were all hanging next to Alex's Harvard undergrad and law degree. The living room was a mixture of both their family and friends. There were random framed photos on the mantle and walls of Alex's extended family, Olivia's mother and brother, as well as snapshots of them all together. There was even a photo of Brian holding Xander at the park. Alex had snapped and framed that photo herself. When the blonde presented Brian with a copy of the photo, Brian had given her a hug and kiss on the cheek as a thank you. Alex would never admit to blushing, but she did indeed blush. Olivia ran her finger over the picture as she walked by. She still hated that Brian couldn't be there as much as she'd like, especially on days like today, but she had made peace with it.

She smiled when she heard Alex's smooth voice come through the monitor again. She was talking to their one year old son. Today was Xander's birthday and Alex was in charge of getting him into his outfit before their guest arrived for his party.

"You need any help up there?" Olivia called from the bottom of the stairs.

"No, I got it covered… I think. He's going to look great. I'm just not sure about myself."

"Nonsense. You always look great, Counselor." Olivia called out as she headed to the door. She grinned when she saw familiar faces standing there. "Hey there. Come on in."

Olivia stepped aside and allowed Fin and Melinda in. They were closely followed by John, Captain Cragen, and her partner Nick.

"Where is the birthday boy?" John asked looking around in hopes of getting his hands on his nephew first. He, Fin, and Nick would often argue over who got to hold Xander first. It still amazed Olivia and Alex how three of the toughest cops in New York turned to mush around their son.

"He's getting dressed… again. We made the mistake of getting him dressed before he had his lunch. I don't know what we were thinking." Olivia said shaking her head.

Melinda laughed. "We've all been there, Liv. Don't feel bad. My daughter ended up in just her diaper on her first birthday. My advice is to take your pictures really quickly because as soon as he sees that cake, it will be all over."

"And talk about a cake! My Lord, how many people are coming today?" Cragen asked looking at the huge "Thomas and Friends" cake across the room. Xander had recently become fascinated by the animated show. Olivia still didn't know where Alex had found a baker to make an exact replica of the small blue train and didn't even want to ask how much money the attorney had spent to have it completed in time.

"Believe it or not, just the usual crowd. I know it's a lot, but his mother is Alexandra Cabot. What do you expect his cake to look like?" Olivia said.

"It's Benson-Cabot… and what exactly did you mean by that statement, dear?" Alex said coolly as she entered the room carrying a now squeaky clean Xander. He was wearing a cute light blue sweater vest over a white shirt with matching bow tie and khakis. Olivia thought he looked like a tiny Tiger Woods. She wanted to roll her eyes but knew better. _'He is such a Cabot.'_ She thought to herself.

"Umm… I meant that… umm…" Olivia mumbled trying to come up with something to say.

Fin laughed. "Busted."

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "Shut it, Fin."

Fin only laughed harder as he watched Alex glare suspiciously at Olivia. Olivia turned and gave Alex her best puppy dog eyes. "I just meant that you're the best mother in the world because you make sure our son has the best of everything."

Alex narrowed her eyes. "_Just_ mother?"

"Of course not… you're the best _wife_ in the world too." Olivia quickly added before giving Alex a soft kiss on the cheek. She ignored the snickers and whipping noises the guys were making in the background.

Alex couldn't hold it any longer and laughed. She shook her head at her wife. "You're still a horrible liar, but I made a vow to love you anyway."

Olivia grinned at the group. "She remembers that, but not the _obey_ part."

Alex's comeback was interrupted by the doorbell. "You are _so_ saved by the bell."

Olivia laughed as she headed towards the door. She pulled the door open to find Serena Southerlyn and Avery Livingston stand a few feet away trying to look nonchalant. She bit her cheek to keep from smirking. She knew something had been going on with these two since she spotted them together at the wedding reception.

Six months ago, Alex and Olivia were married in front of a small group of their friends and family on the beach in the Hamptons. Most people had expected a large and elaborate affair, but that wasn't what either of them wanted. Once Alex was completely back on her feet and life had returned to normal, they planned a ceremony that matched who they were as a couple. It wasn't flashy or grandiose. It was intimate, quiet, and romantic. No one gave them away and there was no wedding party. It was just Olivia, Alex, and little Xander sleeping in Alex's arms as the Honorable Elizabeth Donnelly officiated. The couple said traditional vows as the sun began to set into the ocean in the background.

The reception had been the only flamboyant part of the day. The Cabot estate was decorated to fit royalty complete with a full wait-staff, tables with expensive china and gorgeous centerpieces, a huge dance floor and band blanketed by beautiful white tents and twinkling lights. After toasts were given and the first dance completed, the champagne was flowing and the party was in full swing. It was while Olivia was twirling her new wife around the dance floor that she spotted the usually reserved Dr. Avery Livingston smiling and laughing as she sat at a table across the room with a now very single Serena Southerlyn.

After the New Year, Serena and Abbie had finally talked things through. They decided to go their separate ways as friends rather than staying together and risk that friendship turning into resentment and hate. They still loved one another deeply; they just wanted two different things out of life. Serena was devastated of course, but with the help of friends she had gotten through it.

Olivia shook the memory away and invited her friends inside. "Come on in you two. Did you guys come together?" Olivia asked then noticed the soft blush rising up Serena's cheeks.

Avery smirked at her friend. She knew the cat was out of the bag so to speak. "Yes. It didn't really make sense to come separately. We knew you and Alex would see right through it anyway."

Olivia laughed. "You're right. We would."

Avery helped Serena out of her coat and handed it off to Olivia. Serena gave Olivia a quick peck on the cheek before leaving the two friends alone to talk. They both watched Serena head straight for Xander. Olivia leaned against the wall and watched Avery watching the blonde in the other room.

"You really like her, don't you?"

Avery flicked her hazel eyes to Olivia's and held her gaze for a moment. "I do."

"You know about her history?"

Avery nodded. "With her ex, Abbie? Yes. She told me about her."

"And she knows about… Danny and what happened to her?"

Again Avery nodded. "We've had quite a few long talks over the past six months." She shrugged her shoulders. "We're still getting to know each other, you know? It hasn't been an easy year for either of us, but it's been nice having someone to talk to."

Olivia nodded. "I don't mean to pry. I just care about both of you and I don't want to see either of you hurt."

"I know that, Olivia and you know I value our friendship. Serena has been very honest with me about her past. I know what it's like to spend a long time with a person. I know you can't just turn that off no matter how it ended. Serena also knows that there will always be a part of me that loves Danny. But… I know that Danny would want me to be happy. She would want me to find _someone_ that makes me happy."

"And Serena is that someone?" Olivia asked.

Avery watched Serena making funny faces at baby Xander. She smiled fondly before meeting Olivia's eyes again. "I think she is." She said with conviction.

Olivia smiled and nodded. "Good. It's been a long time since I've seen Serena smile like that. You both deserve to be happy."

"So we're good?" Avery asked knowing this talk was Olivia's version of the big sister warning.

"We're good." Olivia said pulling Avery towards the living room. "But I'm not the one you have to worry about. You still have to talk to Alex."

Avery groaned. "But she's scary."

Olivia laughed fully. "Just a little bit."

* * *

Within the hour, all the guest had arrived and baby Xander was being passed around the room as the guest of honor. Julia, Bill, and Liz arrived with a surprise for the couple. Bella, Theo, and their son Phillip had flown in early for Christmas. Alex and Olivia weren't expecting them for another week. Alex was beyond delighted to have her entire family there to share Xander's special day. She was only mildly worried when she saw her very handsome, Casanova-like cousin Phillip chatting up Amanda Rollins in the corner of the room. She made a mental note to warn Amanda at some point in the evening.

To the surprise of many, Elliot Stabler dropped by with a gift for Xander as well. It had taken a long time and a few tense talks, but the two old friends had managed to find their way back to one another. Alex had been the key to making that happen. She and Elliot had spoken privately and buried the hatchet so to speak. As long as Elliot didn't hurt Olivia, she wasn't opposed to him being in their lives. She knew that deep down, Elliot was a good man and he cared deeply for Olivia. When it looked like Olivia was pulling away, Alex would often give her a little nudge in his direction. Soon the tension was no longer there between them and all that was left was friendship. Alex knew all was well when Elliot gave a tearful and loving toast at their reception. The man who wished them the best and a life full of love and happiness was the Elliot she had remembered from long ago. She was glad to see him back. She had missed him.

Olivia looked around the room and continued snapping pictures. She wanted to remember this day. It had been a long and difficult year. So much had happened. Alex had waltzed back into her life and tore down every single brick she had used to build a wall around her heart. She had found out she was pregnant and given birth to one of the greatest loves of her life. Then, she had nearly lost the other great love. She could hardly believe that it had been a year since Alex's near fatal accident. She had come so close to losing everything. There were times that she still woke up in a cold sweat reaching over to make sure Alex was there with her safe and sound. Yes, the odds had definitely been against them, but here they were… still together. They had made it to the other side and all was as it should be.

With blended voices singing Happy Birthday floating through the air, Olivia focused the camera on her wife and son. Alex was smiling widely as Xander grabbed a fist full of cake and shoved it into his mouth then smearing it all over his face. The blonde shook her head and laughed not even remotely concerned about getting cake on her undoubtedly expensive sweater. Olivia laughed out loud causing Xander and Alex to both looked up in her direction at the same time. They gave Olivia matching grins. Olivia snapped the picture.

"Hey, give me that." Avery said taking the camera as she pushed Olivia towards her family. "You have to be in the pictures too, Mommy."

Olivia tried to show Avery what buttons to push. Avery laughed and pushed her hands away again. "I'm a surgeon, for crying out loud! I think I can figure out how to work a freaking camera, Olivia."

Olivia laughed and held up her hands in surrender. She went over to her son and kissed the part of his head that wasn't covered with cake before meeting her wife's loving gaze. She knew she would never tire of looking into those beautiful baby blues. Coming to an agreement with their eyes, they both leaned down and kissed Xander's pudgy, cake covered cheeks at the same time. Xander giggled with glee and waved his hands as everyone laughed. Avery snapped the picture capturing the moment for posterity.

The End… for now.


End file.
